Falling in Love From a Boy's Point of View
by SasuNaru Fangirl Seme
Summary: What's it like to fall in love from a boy's point of view? Sasunaru.
1. Prologue Naruto's Problem

I found myself staring at him all the time.

I have a few conclusions. None of them seem to fit.

So, conclusion number one. You're glaring, and you're just staring at him because he's an ass.

But I'm not glaring, I know it. I find myself…well, I wouldn't say admiring. He looks so good, even when we're training. One time, I found myself staring at him drinking a bottle of water. He looked good doing THAT.

This brings me to conclusion number two. He's good looking damn it! There is nothing wrong with thinking that. I'm probably just jealous he looks so good and Sakura wants him and not me.

But I'm not jealous. I stare at him because I love the way he looks. If I ever get jealous of, er…over him, it's because he saved Sakura from some rogue ninja.

And…It's not just his looks now that I consider this. It's him. Sure he acts like a jerk, but he's smart and calm. He's saved my life countless times, I always tell him he's just a show off and I can take care of myself.

Then of course, although we never talked about it…

We're both alone.

We're both orphans. However, it's never bothered me as much. I never knew my parents, so I guess I never knew what it was like. His were killed. By his brother. His brother he loved and looked up to.

I sometimes wonder…his personality reflects nothing like that. I'm sure it's just because Sakura, Kakashi and I are around. But what does he do when he's alone?

With my sappy feelings, this brings me to conclusion number three.

You lo-like him.

But that's not possible. You don't like guys, you like Sakura. I just care about him, I feel so sorry for him. I respect him. I love him, sure. Love is an easy word for me. I love him because he's my best friend. Not that other way.

But one time, when I was starring at him, he caught my eyes and I almost turned.

I couldn't.

He was staring back. Not glaring.


	2. The Dumbest Mission Ever

And now it actually begins...

"Ah, are you kidding, Kakashi-Sensei!?" I whined, and not just because it was my attitude. I mean, really. This mission had to take the cake for dumbest mission award. If we had one of those. We should.

"Nope, I'm not." Kakashi was smiling, gloating underneath that mask, because he had another mission to do.

"Dishes, Sensei? Shouldn't the Hyugga's be doing their own dishes?" Sakura asked sweetly, her inner self screaming about how pissed she was.

Kakashi shook his head, causing us-Sakura and I both to slump our shoulders. Sasuke just stood there. WHICH, caused me to look up, stare for a moment, then turn back. "Uhn, lets just go," I growled, Sasuke and Sakura reluctantly followed me. Kakashi waved, disappearing suddenly.

So we were going to dishes. Damn it sucked so bad to be Genin.

"Hn. If you two quit complaining, the job will get done faster." Sasuke muttered.

This caused me to stare at him again. I forgot to mention his voice, that had something to do with it too. This is the problem I was talking about, always thinking about him.

"You are sooo right, Sasuke!" Sakura said, hands clasping together in front of her. Sasuke made a 'Tch' sound, and continued following.

"Naruto, you collect them off the tables, Sakura will wash and I'll dry." Sasuke said, picking up a towel.

I complied wordlessly, making shadow clones to get my job done quicker.

Sasuke and Sakura were both surprised I knew, as to why I didn't complain about Sasuke bossing me around. Oh well. I continued, laying the dishes down one by one, Sakura picking them up and washing them, Sasuke finishing, drying and stacking.

This is when, and I was picking up dishes so I had no idea how, Sasuke ended up with the front of his shirt doused.

"Sa-Sasuke, I'm so sorry!" Sakura squeaked, reaching for another towel.

"It's fine…" Sasuke suppressed his growl. He turned, and walked over to one of the tables where we had set our bags earlier. He picked up his grey back-pack, and fished out a black T-shirt. (Aside from the blue one he was wearing.)

A found myself starring again, but I instantly turned because he took his soaking shirt off. He pulled the new black one on, completely ignoring Sakura's squeal in the background.

What the hell? Why did I turn? It's totally normal for guys to see each other with their shirts off. For gods' sake, it was just the back of him. I turned back, no one had noticed.

"I'm really sorry, Sasuke!" Sakura said through giggles.

"Hn. Shut-up." He hissed, picking the towel back-up.

Sakura turned her head down and continued. I did too.

I missed that chance.

With the dishes finished, we were all ready to head home.

This is when Sakura, for what had to be the 3rd time that week asked Sasuke on a date.

So as usual, I'm staring.

"Sasuke, I'm so, so sorry about today, I didn't-I was being clumsy and…I was hoping I could make it up to you!" She chimed.

"I don't need anymore apologies. I'm going home." He said turning.

"Oh, Okay…"

These days, I can't decide who I'm jealous of. Sasuke, or Sakura.

Sakura says goodbye, and walks away. Sasuke is gone.

Okay, maybe we weren't all ready to go home.

When I go home, there has been cases where people are waiting for me. While I can win against Genin, Jounin…Are a different story.

I don't want to go home because I may get beat up. If that's what you could call it. There weren't words to describe what people had done to me. Knives, fists…All because of what I was. Stupid, stupid, Kyubbi.

I felt myself shake on the walk home. It's quiet, nothing is outside.

I released the held breath in my lungs, and slowly pushed open the door. No one. I sighed, untying my head-band and taking off my jacket. I tossed them on the ground, no motivation to put them away. I stopped quickly, turning and locking my door.

"Crappy day, I had to do stupid dishes…" I muttered to myself.

In all honesty, I wasn't ready to go to bed, but I did because there wasn't much left to do. I wasn't hungry. The only thing that would make me want to eat…

Someone knocked. I smiled, instantly knowing Iruka-Sensei's knock by heart.

"Hi, Iruka-Sensei!" I slammed the door open, seeing him smile and rub the back of his head.

"Hey Naruto," He started.

I gave him that confident smile and look that screamed, 'Will you please buy me ramen?'

"Kakashi told me you had a boring mission today, and I was thinking…"

"That you would buy me ramen!?" He asked, putting his thought out loud.

He laughed, "Of course I will!"

"Woo-hoo!" I grabbed my jacket from the ground and pulled it on. My frightened mood from earlier completely gone.

Iruka was like the dad I never had. He knew about the…Staring problem. He asks me about it sometimes. I usually don't know what to say.

Later, I'm in one of my forms of heaven, eating ramen. (Ichiraku, to be exact.) Damn, the stuff is so good!

"I've been working a lot, I haven't talked to you in a while. How are you lately?" Iruka asked in-between slurps.

Swallowing, I started, "Uhn, Okay…I want to go on some cooler missions!"

He smiled. "Every mission is important Naruto. What about your teammates?"

"Sakura is good," I instantly thought of Sasuke when he said that. I pictured his face. Raven black hair framing his pale face and deep obsidian eyes…Then I thought of the rest of his body. He's tall and thin, although not as small as me, perfectly proportioned…But his face…He's…

"What about Sasuke?"

I swallowed another bite of ramen, setting the chopsticks on the edge of the now empty bowl. "He's…I don't know. Normal."

"Do you still find yourself staring at him?" Iruka asked gently. "Kakashi tells me he sees you a lot."

Naruto nodded. "Iruka-Sensei, I care about Sasuke. I'm always starring at Sasuke. But…I don't…I hardly know him as a person."

Iruka was quiet for a moment. "Well, why do you stare at him?"

"Because of the way he looks-" I started. "I mean, well…um…" Damn, I couldn't fix that one.

"It's okay if you like the way he looks, but is that the only reason?" He asked.

I considered his question carefully. No was the answer, but I needed other reasons. "No, of course not. It's one of the reasons…but sometimes, Iruka-"

He waited silently for me to finish, pausing to pay for the ramen.

"He looks, kind of sad. Well, I wouldn't say sad, his expression just changes. From annoyed or blank, to maybe…" I tried to think of the best word. "Disappointed. But whenever Sakura or Kakashi says something, his expression is annoyed again. I wonder why he looks that way."

Iruka motioned for me to stand up, he started to walk me home. Normally he wouldn't, but he obviously wanted to continue the conversation. "He has no real family, like you. You must know how it feels to be alone."

"But I know that's not it. It's something else." I blinked, realizing something I hadn't before. He looked that way when…

We were back at my house. It was darker and later now.

"I should probably get home. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"No Iruka, Thanks so much for the ramen!" With one last wave, I was inside again. This time ready to sleep. My jacket had already resumed it's position on the floor. I pulled off my shirt, fishing around in my bedroom for a softer night shirt. I put it on, followed by my bed cap. I flicked the lights off and climbed into bed.

I pulled up 2 sheets, it's all I have. Normally I use one, but it's getting to be winter again.

I laid awake until I could hardly open my eyes. His expression changes when…

I say something to Sakura.


	3. Sasuke Being Nice?

My head wasn't on the pillow anymore. I clutched the pillow against my side, muffling my face against it.

The yelling, the cursing, the threatening. On nights when there wasn't someone bold enough to physically hurt me, there was verbal abuse outside my locked doors and windows.

Crying is not going to make my situation any better. But with some of the things they're shouting, I can't hold it back.

**If you used me more often, they'd be dead, kit.**

Kyubbi had woken with my crying.

_Kyubbi, leave me alone. It's because of you they hate me, anyway._

**Suit yourself.**

Kyubbi was like a literal conscience. He healed my wounds and gave me boundless energy and Chakra. He was rude, and I hated the fact he was in my body, but he took care of me. I didn't mind Kyubbi.

But I'd go without Kyubbi if I could, just so these people would stop hurting me.

The next day we didn't have any missions, but Kakashi did again. He left us to train, and by us, he meant Sasuke and I, because Sakura didn't fight train. She was our…advisor. She trained in chakra control when we had Kakashi around.

In the beginning, we weren't practicing. We were standing, or in Sakura's case sitting around.

I'm trying to interpret the conclusion I made last night. Maybe it was just a coincidence. But that's always how it seemed. My first idea, (and this is so dumb,) was that he secretly returned Sakura's affection, and got jealous when I talked to her. That was definitely not it. I have a hard time thinking about the other idea.

Sasuke gets that jealous, disappointed look, because I'm not talking to him. I'm wanting Sakura.

That can't be it either, though. I think…

He doesn't even know I see it. He's never even noticed my starring.

"Are we standing here all day, or practicing?" Sasuke asked suddenly, shaking me from my thoughts.

"We're practicing!" I replied. Normally, we just practiced hand to hand combat without jutsu. We stopped if we were close to seriously hurting one another.

So it started. Sakura was sitting, tallying who got more hits on who. I'm never distracted, (by him,) when I fight him. I always try to prove myself around Sasuke. I strive to be just like Sasuke, and when that happens, better.

This continued for hours, with small time-outs and breaks on Sakura's call. She noticed when we got tired or agitated.

Kakashi was supposed to be gone for 3 to 4 days. I was planning on taking a break and hanging out tomorrow.

"Let's call it a day, you two." Sakura said, the sun just beginning to disappear, a haze of purple-pink in the sky.

"Who won!?" I yelled automatically.

"Sasuke got more hits on you, Naruto! You are so awesome, Sasuke!" Sakura squealed.

I growled, turning around to look at him.

"Good fight, maybe someday you'll win." It didn't seem like gloating or sarcasm. I didn't say anything back.

"Hey, are you guys coming tomorrow? I was thinking we could break for a day…"

You break when we fight, and yet you want the day off, I thought. But I quickly erased that. I liked Sakura less and less every day.

"I'm staying at home," Sasuke mumbled.

"That was my plan too!" I answered.

"Well, I was thinking…Maybe all three of us could go do something!" Sakura interjected.

"…Like?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know…But something!"

I liked the idea, but could think of nothing to do. "I have no ideas, other then get ramen." I shook my head. "Like you guys want to do that."

Nobody had ideas, a few minutes passed. Sasuke and I shifted to sitting. Him against a tree and me cross-legged on the ground.

"I'm going to head, come tell me tomorrow if you have any ideas." Sakura said suddenly, walking away with a wave. I almost followed, but Sasuke made no motion to move.

When Sakura was out of sight, Sasuke let out a sigh as if he had been holding it all day. (and I'm sure he was.) "Geez, she's gone."

"That's not very nice Sasuke," I muttered.

"I know you like her, but she's so damn annoying. Look it how she acts towards me. I hate it."

I had never sat an had a conversation with Sasuke. We were silent friends. We never talked to each-other unless it was mission strategic, or when we were pissed.

"I don't like her like THAT!" I hissed automatically.

"Yeah right," He didn't know I was looking, but that look was there again. "You act like you do."

I found it more and more awkward to even be speaking to him. But he's not treating me like crap. We're having a conversation. "She's my friend, Sasuke!"

"You're my friend. Look at the way I act around you."

"Hardly," I scoffed. "But she's different! You're supposed to treat ladies nicer! By the way, you could try being nicer to me, if we're friends." I added.

"Well, I was getting to that."

That surprised me. I was expecting a, 'you started hating me first."

"Anyway, since we're friends…We could do something tomorrow. You know, like guy friends do. Hang out."

Before the, Oh my god, I was wondering how the hell socially retarded Sasuke defined, 'hanging out.'

Then there was the Oh. My. God. Sasuke is being nice. "What about Sakura?" I asked.

"She's annoying. Girls just get in the way, and all she's going to do is flirt with me. I don't want her there."

I swallowed, "Okay, what should we do?"

He shrugged, "Whatever you want."

Now that Sakura was gone, it was surprisingly a lot easier to think of things. After moment of silence I said, "…Um, well…More then anything I just like talking. We could go hang out and talk. I don't know much about you as a person."

He nodded. "Sounds good, where?"

Why had my Naruto-ness faded? Why was I not hyper, annoying, and not freaking out at the fact that Sasuke was being friendly? I'm practically embarrassed.

"How 'bout….Here?"

"Alright." He got up, so I did too. "I'll see you here tomorrow. Noon?"

"Sure." This was so not me. What was wrong with my attitude?


	4. Demon Secret

Sorry if it was confusing...

Bold- Kyubbi

Italics- Naruto talking mentally back to Kyubbi

My friend said I should mention the relationship is slow...

That night there was no one, and this time no screaming from outside. I fell asleep easy and comfortably. But before I fell asleep, I tried to reason why my attitude had changed so dramatically when I was talking to him. I don't know what kind of feeling this is. But I definitely look forward to noon.

So I rushed through my morning, (after sleeping in way late,) and it was around 10:00. I wished Iruka wasn't at work, then I could talk to him about this.

I practiced hitting targets while I waited for noon to get closer. What was I going to say? What kind of things would he bring up?

That made me think of something else. My attitude changed in that moment, but so did his. He was still calm Sasuke, but he wasn't being a jerk, he wasn't pissed, he was just talking to me sincerely.

He got there before me, but I was right on time. He was sitting in the same spot against the tree. I sat in my previous spot, only closer.

Sasuke said, "So you wanted to talk," It wasn't a question. It was more of a cue to start.

"Why…other then now, are you always such a jerk? I'm not accusing you, just…why?" This whole time I knew I would have a hard time not starring at him, but I tried hard not to.

He smirked. "The same reason your hyper, other then now. It's part of my built up personality. Part of who I am. I can't change it."

Well, it was true.

"My turn. Why do you like Sakura so much? What do you see in her?"

I growled, "I don't like her like that, Sasuke!" Now I wasn't just bluffing. I know I cared about Sakura, she was my friend. But I didn't see anything relationship wise with her.

"Sware?" He asked, I nodded.

"Then I want another, do you love anyone, like that?"

I swallowed, this was not like Sasuke at all. "If I did, I wouldn't tell you!"

Sasuke scoffed, "I thought we were speaking openly. I'm not going to judge you."

I exhaled deeply, "Okay, No. I don't. My turn."

I considered my question carefully. I wanted to dig deeper, and learn more about him, without upsetting him. I knew what I wanted to ask, but I tried differently first.

"Who do you love, like that?"

Sasuke was silent for a half second too long. "No one." I noticed, but didn't say anything.

I was quiet again. Since Sasuke didn't say anything, I assumed it was my turn to question.

"Do you have nightmares a lot?" I asked gently.

His expression changed from relaxed to something I couldn't read instantly. "Yeah. Do you?" His voice was quieter.

"Every night." I whispered. "What are yours about?"

I could tell I was opening up a touchy subject. But it was for me too, and I wanted his honest answer.

"I don't want to tell you."

"We're speaking openly." I reminded him.

He didn't move or breathe momentarily. Then he took a long breath in and started.

"About my clan's murder. It's the same dream every night. There's every regret I have before the murder, and then there's…the replay. The blood…and the screams…and the fear…blood…Ita-" His voice shook.

He trailed off, and clutched at his head. He replayed the memory as he spoke. I felt horrible about bringing it up now.

"Sasuke!" I called, he snapped his head up. I realized how his trauma effected him so much. His eyes were wide and his hands shook on his head.

"I didn't mean to bring up-"

"Don't talk about it anymore." He demanded. His hands fell back to his sides and he calmed down.

I sighed, then he asked. "What are yours about? don't tell me if you're going to react like I did."

"They're about people." I started. "In my dreams, I'm alone and it's dark. People come…and try to kill me. They use their fists and knives…They think I'm a disease, a monster…"

"Why?" Sasuke asked, leaning forward. He sounded concerned.

I could not answer his question. To me, this was deeper then anything we've both said put together, plus anything we may say later. Besides, I was just telling him about what happened in my dreams. He didn't need to know that those things actually happened in reality. And why…

"They hate me." I said simply.

Sasuke got closer, much to my discomfort. "Why do they hate you? Why do they think you're a monster?"

"I don't know…" I didn't sound convincing.

**Just tell him, Kit.**

_He's gonna hate me, Kyubbi! Just like everyone else!_

**How do you know? Haven't you told me that Sasuke's the only one who doesn't judge you or hate you?**

_But if he knows, that might change!_

**Then lie.**

_YOU ARE NOT HELPING!_

"But you do. Why won't you tell me?" Sasuke asked.

I swallowed the pathetic sound that might have been a whine. "Because you'll hate me!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Why would I hate you? Just tell me. I won't be angry…"

"O-okay!" I started. "Remember…when we were in the academy, how they taught us history?"

Sasuke nodded.

"Remember how, there was a nine-tailed fox demon…that the 4th Hokage managed to defeat?"

I could tell by looking at him, he didn't know what I was getting to. He was missing some information. "Well, he didn't destroy It. It's still alive…and…He sealed it, in the body of an infant."

Then I figured he was getting it. "And…that…infant was…M-"

I didn't need to finish the word. I didn't want to see his reaction. I buried my face against my knees, which I was now clutching towards my chest.

"So wait, you're…" He started, then was cut off.

Because I let out a sob. I felt so stupid, stupid. In front of him.

"Na-Naruto, don't…I don't hate…" He started.

"I only…found out before…I graduated. I didn't…M..know! I sniffed and sobbed harder. I couldn't help it. "Wondering…Why every-everyone hated…me so…much…Everywhere I went…People hurt me…"

"What? So you were…"

Shit. I just told him. We were talking about dreams, and I said I was beat up and hated in the real world. "N-no…I…meant…" I started.

"Don't try to hide what you just told me!" He let go of my shoulders. "Why didn't you tell someone this was happening?!" He sounded seriously angry, and it surprised me.

I looked up at him, his expression changed again when he saw me. "Because…it would make me…sound weak." I whimpered.

Sasuke flinched, "That's the reason?" He sounded angry. "That's it!? That's why you let people do that!?"

My crying had slowed, and while it was still weak, I could keep my voice straight. "It doesn't matter anyway. Why should anyone care about me? I'm a monster." I whispered.

Sasuke didn't say anything for a while. Then finally he said, "Sakura, Kakashi, Iruka, the Third Hokage, they don't think you're a monster."

I wondered why he didn't say his own name. He must hate me too. "But…they…" I was about to say, they don't know. But Sakura was the only one who didn't know.

"They know what lives inside your body, but they don't hate you. They take care of you."

I wiped my eyes. "And what about you!? Do you think I'm a monster!?" I snarled.

"No. Absolutely not."

I felt better on the inside. Sasuke didn't care about Kyubbi, and better yet, he wanted to be my friend.

"That's enough for today," He said, getting up slowly. "I'll see you here tomorrow for training."

I bit back whatever I may have answered with, and stood up.

"I'm sorry for making you upset." He added.

I nodded, head down.

What I didn't know, was that Sasuke desperately didn't want me to go home. Home to those people. He was just to embarrassed to ask if he could come with me.


	5. What is Wrong With Me?

I woke up the next morning feeling like I had broken ribs. Maybe I did.

The night before had been the worst of the entire month. There were three men. I had been threatened at first, but then the work with their fists began. I had never tried to fight back, because they could lie and say I attacked them. Besides, whatever they did to me, I wouldn't kill them for it.

I couldn't get out of bed. Every attempt to lift my chest had resulted in small bursts of pain. Finally I bared it, getting out of bed and wincing at the ache. After I was up moving around though, it didn't hurt as much.

I wasn't looking forward to training at all.

"Naruto, you look dead." Sakura pointed out. I was last and late to the training.

"Ha, I'm fine! it's nothing!" I gave her a thumbs up. "Just slept in late, that's all!"

By the expression on Sasuke's face, I could tell he knew better. Now that we were with Sakura, My starring had come back.

"Think you'll win today, Usuratonkachi?" He was gloating now.

"Yeah, I'm gonna beat your ass, Teme!" I challenged.

Sakura scoffed, "No way, Naruto! Sasuke always wins!"

"Whatever!"

So the training and fighting went on just as it had the day before. But today, I was more distracted. Whenever Sasuke was defensive or when he stopped, I was staring at him, still going unnoticed.

The same time as two days ago, Sakura called us off.

"Sasuke won again!" Sakura gigged.

"NO! Gr…" Someday I would beat him.

"Good job though, anyway." Sasuke added. He was being nice in this situation, unlike Sakura.

I was staring again, and I hate to keep concluding this. I'm always starring whenever there is an opportunity.

I still wanted to know why, and I came up with an experiment to try tonight, if no one was…There.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow!" Sakura headed off, just as usual.

Then, to my surprise, Sasuke was instantly on my case. "What happened?" He demanded.

I turned. "What do you mean, what happened?"

He glared at me. "You looked like a wreck this morning, and your fighting had been the worst it's been in weeks. What did they do?"  
I swallowed, "They did nothing, I was just tired."

Sasuke sighed, anger turning into aspiration. "It's okay, just tell me."

I wrapped my arms around my torso. "They…they punched me a few times in the ribs."

By the way I was shivering, Sasuke could guess to what extent I meant by punching. "Then why…don't you stay with Iruka?"

I closed my eyes, "Because I don't want to put stress on him! They find out I'm with him, and he might get hurt!" I yelled. "It's none of your business so…" I started to walk away. "Just stay out of this!"

He didn't answer so I kept on going.

No one was waiting for me tonight, I hoped I wouldn't have to deal with much after that.

Now, for my experiment.

I wanted to know just how I stared at Sasuke. Maybe that would help me figure out why. I rummaged through my drawer for a hand mirror that probably didn't exist. Finally, I found one. Round with a handle.

I closed my eyes. Picture Sasuke. Snow white skin, midnight black hair. Onyx eyes that were sometimes bloody red. All I needed was his face. Now Imagine he's right in front of you, and your staring at him. The way you always do.

When I first opened, there was just my concentrated face.

"This is not a mirror. This is Sasuke." I whispered out loud.

I concentrated, opened again, and saw my expression for a split-second before I was shocked. I looked…like I was in ecstasy. My eyes were half-lidded and my mouth was open slightly. So little you almost couldn't tell. And I was…Blushing? What the hell?

I put the mirror down slowly, and heard knocking.

Iruka!!

I was at the door instantly. I loved this routine. Once or twice a week, there was ramen and some conversation.

"I almost decided to come tomorrow, I see your glad I didn't!" I pulled on my jacket and came out, so ready for more ramen.

"So…Anything new?" Iruka asked.

"Mm…Not really!"

"With Sasuke?"

Damn, for once I had hoped to avoid that. "He's…being friendly. He's not treating me so bad anymore."

We got to Ichiraku and the conversation continued there.

"Why the sudden change?" He asked.

Iruka did not, could not, know about the violence. But he did know about Kyubbi.

"I told Sasuke…the secret."

Iruka answered a moment to late for comfort. "What was his reaction?"

"He said he didn't care about what was inside my body, he just thought I was Naruto, either way."

We finished two bowls, the conversation still going when we finished.

"Do you know why you stare at him yet?" Iruka asked.

"Um…Lots of reasons. But I don't know the overall reason, no." I shifted in my seat. "But…I saw the way I stare in a mirror. It's so…weird." Did my look of total ecstasy explain my feelings? I don't know. I don't know what this is.

"Naruto…?" Iruka noticed me zoning off.

"I hate it Iruka," My voice was weak suddenly. "What is this?"

"What?" He asked, catching the tone in my voice.

"What is this, this…thing, feeling, problem, whatever…what is it?" I managed.

Iruka sighed, he paid for the ramen and got up to leave. I followed him. "There are a lot of things you could be going through right now, but I don't want to say one thing and have it be another."

I didn't answer, so he walked me all the way home.

"Kakashi should be back in two days." Iruka said as I opened my door. "Then you'll probably have another mission."

I nodded, unable to say anything but the usual, "Thanks for the ramen."

I looked around, heading towards my room. No one to hurt me tonight.

I felt weak, curling up into my sheets with normal clothes I didn't bother to change out of. I wasn't sure why I felt that way either. I hoped that when Kakashi got back, and I got my mind into a mission, or some hard training, I would be able to shake my attitude and be myself again.

**Kit, what's wrong with you? I can't sleep.**

_Shut-up Kyubbi, I don't know._

**It's about the Uchiha boy, isn't it?**

_You're making it worse, Kyubbi!_

**So it is. Relax and forget about him for the night. I'd like to sleep, and your body's mood is not helping.**

_Whatever._

I really did want to sleep, but much to Kyubbi's annoyance, I didn't get Sasuke out of my head. I fell asleep to imagining his face.

What is wrong with me?

Why is Sasuke the only thing on my mind?


	6. Fighting

Two days of training with violent free nights, and Kakashi was back. He came around when Sasuke and I were fighting.

"You two are doing great."

I turned my head, Sasuke paused in mid-punch to look too.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" Sakura stood up. "Glad you're back!"

"Good to be back," He answered. "I see you boys have gotten your training in while I've been gone."

Sasuke and I both nodded. The past two days after Sakura left, Sasuke had bombarded me with questions regarding what had happened the night before. I still stared, and still felt weak when I went to bed every night. I could never get him off my mind. However, Sasuke's attitude didn't make any more changes.

"So…" Sakura asked, "Do you have a new mission for us?"

"Maybe, I'll know by tomorrow. How have things been?" He asked.

"Pretty good…" Sakura replied.

Kakashi ended that. "Naruto, why are you being so quiet? I can understand Sasuke, but I've never seen you this way." He smiled, but I couldn't.

"Sorry, sorry, just thinking Sensei!" About Sasuke, I concluded in my mind.

He gave me a weird look, probably wondering why I was thinking. "Well, since I'm back, I order you all to take the rest of the day off. Tomorrow we may have a big mission, so rest up!"

We all nodded, and Kakashi disappeared.

"Wow, it's only around noon…Hey Sasuke?" Sakura simpered at the end.

"Hn." Hn In Sasuke's language was either, yes, what, or just a sound he made because he was annoyed.

She tapped her fingers nervously. "Would you…like to go do something? With me?"

"Sorry, I'm busy." The sorry part was sarcastic, but someday I seriously thought Sasuke would snap on her.

"Doing what?" Sakura asked quietly.

I was surprised, she had never asked that before. Would Sasuke have an answer?

He was surprised too. Even Sasuke could come up with a comeback. (He wasn't busy…) "None of your business. If I wanted you to know, I'd tell you."

"Oh…" She sounded disappointed, getting up. "Then I'll see you guys here tomorrow." She mumbled.

"See ya!" I waved as she walked away.

I turned, already expecting Sasuke as I had the past three days.

Yup, there he was. "Did anything happen last night?"

I shook my head no, and he sighed. "That's good."

I was starring, but he had turned around. "Naruto, I hate worrying about you."

"Then don't!" I hissed. But I didn't mind the affection at all. I loved it. "I can take care of myself!"

"But it's sick, and wrong, and you're my friend!" He turned around, so I looked down. "I want to fix the problem!"

I narrowed my eyes, looking back up. "How!? Take out Kyubbi, and kill me?!"

He blinked then said, "It's name is Kyubbi?"

Oh…I guess we've been calling it nine-tailed fox demon, or monster. "Yeah, his name is Kyubbi."

"Does it, um…he talk to you?" He asked.

"Yeah, he's rude though. He's the reason all my wounds get healed so fast. He gives me his chakra." I answered. "He's like a literal conscience."

_Right, Kyubbi?_

**What a dumb way to put it, Kit.**

"Does he ever threaten you to do stuff? I mean, he's sealed there…but does he ever tell you he wants to escape and destroy Konoha?" I don't think I had ever seen Sasuke talk this much. It sounded in-human for him.

"I'll ask him…"

_You heard him Kyubbi, want to escape?_

**Any day, kit. But I wouldn't destroy your village. Like I'll ever get free before you die…**

"Um…He says he wouldn't destroy the village, but he doesn't believe he's ever getting out, so he's fine where he is." I answered, our mental conversation only taking a split-second.

Sasuke nodded, then completely changed the subject. "What are you going to do with your day off?"

Hadn't he…Just told me he wanted to fix the problem? Why did he suddenly drop his anger? Was he avoiding something?

"I dunno…" I started. "Train? Eat ramen? I don't do anything much other then that when I'm not here."

Sasuke shifted his feet. "Me neither. I'm here, Sleeping, or training. Or eating, doing necessaries."

It was kind of sick to me, that Sasuke wanted to kill his own brother. The last living relative he had. I know he had good reason, but I always found it sick. He was just like me, training and getting more skilled his only ambition. Of course, I didn't want to kill anyone. At least, not unless I had to. I would for justice purpose.

"Teme…" I asked, rocking back and forth from the heels to the toes of my feet nervously. "Want to go do something? You know…not talking this time?"

Sasuke smirked. "That was your idea in the first place."

"Do you?" I asked again, knowing he expected a come back.

"Um…sure. What?"

I swallowed the shakes in my voice that may have followed. "Want to…See a movie?"

He tilted his head slightly, a surprised look on his face. "Does seeing a movie really interest you?" He asked.

"No, not really…Just…thought maybe I'd ask." My shakes were replaced with Pauses.

"Then you don't want to do anything?" He asked.

Not that, he had the same issue that I had in this situation, but I almost asked, 'can you give me lessons on being so chill?' He'd find that funny.

"I just don't…Wanna go home-" I mumbled.

"Why?" There was a sharp edge to his voice.

"Not that!" I growled. "Okay…Maybe a little, but I just don't want to sit at home all day!"

"So stay. I'm not going anywhere." He turned, walking back to his favored tree. "I was planning on hanging out here, anyway."

I sighed mentally. He sat down, back against his tree. I resumed my previous position across from him, cross-legged.

We sat in silence for a minute or so.

"Teme, shouldn't we do something other then SIT here?" I asked finally.

"You said we weren't talking this time." He muttered, leaning back against his tree, lounging more.

I fidgeted some, then I brought up what he had said earlier. "You said-"

He had been closing his eyes, and now they opened. He leaned up more and turned to look at me.

It was times like these that were the worst. When he didn't talk, but he looked so perfect in his every movement. Simple movements. He hardly moved at all, just then.

"Earlier you said, you wanted to-" I started, knowing in the beginning I wouldn't be able to finish it.

He cut me off anyway. "I don't like you going home having to worry about violence. I want to help. I can't just sit and let t happen."

I wanted to thank him, but my outer Naruto wouldn't let me. "Well there's nothing you can do, anyway! This has been happening ever since I was a little kid, and just because you found about it, doesn't mean you can fix it! I don't care anyways, I'm use to it." I added, my last statement sounded less assuring.

Because it was impossible to get use to people hating and wanting to kill you.

Sasuke shifted back into his lounging position. "Sorry. I guess it just isn't normal to walk up to someone and ask, 'when you go home, do people beat you up because you harbor a nine tailed fox demon?' I didn't mean to oppose on anything."

The Naruto on the outside had to match comebacks with Sasuke. On the outside, I argued with him, and tried to act better then him. He had always acted on impulse, and did the same back. He usually won.

But right now, on the inside, I was sad to hear him say that.

Because he wasn't arguing with me, or getting pointlessly annoyed with me. He was upset I didn't want his support. At least, that's what he showed on the outside, and Sasuke was not one to show his exterior emotion.

"Sasuke," I muttered. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just makes you feel weak to need the help of others for stupid reasons."

This offended him. "Stupid?" His voice was sharp like before. He completely lifted himself from sitting against the tree so he was closer and facing me. "It's really stupid when respectable ninja come to torture you in the middle of the night, just because of Kyubbi? When they come with threatening voices, their fists, and even knives?"

I drew back slightly. He looked and sounded angry.

"Why don't you kill them?" He asked suddenly. "Why do you let sick human beings like them continue to live?"

"Because," I growled, my voice got loud and strained quickly. "Because If I kill them, or even fight back, then what do you think happens!?" I yelled. "They tell ANBU. ANBU thinks I'm to unstable and destructive, I get put behind bars, and treated like I'm some experiment!" My voice cracked at the end. "To those people, I'm a monster! If that's how they choose to deal with their problems, let them!"

Now we both drew back, but not because of each other.

"That's quite enough, boys."


	7. Sasuke Too

Until he showed up, I hadn't realized how loud we were being. Or how up in each others face we were.

"Kakashi-Sensei-" I started to say, but he cut me off.

"Enough. I've heard the entire conversation already." He had been hiding in the bushes. He came further out of hiding. He had obviously been hiding his chakra from Sasuke, too.

He heard the entire conversation.

"You boys were getting loud. I didn't want to see things get out of hand…over something like this." I dipped my head so I was looking at my feet.

"Kakashi, we weren't-" Sasuke started, eyes trailing to me then back at him.

"Sasuke, why don't you stay here? I want to talk to you about something. Naruto, go enjoy the rest of your day off." Kakashi answered.

I slowly got to my feet and walked away. "Whatever, Sensei."

What the hell was I supposed to do now? Go home. Train. An uneventful day.

"So…I claimed I was here for the entire conversation…but…" Kakashi started, Sasuke already knowing why he had called him out.

Still sitting in his previous spot, he rolled his eyes.

"What started this?"

Sasuke sighed and began. "Ever since you've been gone, I've been checking on him to make sure he's alright. We've been talking a lot more. He told me about the nine tailed fox demon being inside him…and such."

"And Such?" Kakashi repeated. "To check to see if he's aright because…?" He questioned.

"It's his business, and I am in no justice to tell you." Sasuke snapped, turning his head away.

"Very well," Kakashi sat down in front of Sasuke, which surprised said boy. "Now, the other matter."

"I don't want to talk about it." Sasuke kept his head turned.

"And I don't care." Kakashi answered simply, his voice softening. "How do you feel about Naruto?"

Sasuke flinched and gave in. "You already know." He turned his head back. Kakashi smiled behind his mask, visible eye closed. A light blush dusted Sasuke's face.

"Tell him the truth." Kakashi said simply.

"Do you really think anything is that easy?" Sasuke hissed, eyes narrowing.

Kakashi sighed, "No. But in the end, you always regret it," He answered. "You know Sasuke…"

Sasuke waited for an answer.

"It wouldn't kill you to be nicer to him." Kakashi said, more serious this time. "He could catch on himself, but he won't fall in love with someone who hates him, or is rude."

"I am being nicer to him," He answered, emphasis on am. "I just…suddenly changing my attitude towards him would make him think I was a freak…or something…" He trailed off, then quickly stopped with a new statement. "Besides, Kakashi. He'd never fall in love with me. And If I told him the truth…He'd laugh at me."

Kakashi stood back up, sighing more. "You never know, Sasuke. You may be surprised."

Sasuke stood up as well, already beginning to walk away. He didn't give Kakashi more of an answer.

"You really are hopeless on the inside." Kakashi said, in his same soft tone as before.

I trained for the rest of the day, hitting targets and seeing how many books I could hold on my head for balance. Those kept on falling off.

I had been long overdue for some violence or threatening.

I had fixed myself instant ramen, eaten it, gotten my night clothes on, and still nothing happened.

I was free for another night.

_Hey, Kyubbi._

**Why do you disturb my sleep, kit?**

_Get over it. I'm going to sleep soon, anyway._

**Is this about the Uchiha boy?**

_NO! _But it was, and he knew it already.

_Kyubbi…I don't think anyone knows my emotions better then you do. What am I feeling?_

**For the Uchiha?**

_His name is Sasuke._

**I don't care what his name is.**

_So, what do you think?_

**I have evidence from your body and mind that you're always thinking about him. While human emotions have never been my specialty… **

_Get on with it._

**Fine, Brat. You're hopelessly in love with him.**

_KYUBBI!  
_

**YOU ASKED, KIT.**

I sighed, ending our mental conversation. It was around nine at night, and I was ready for sleep, as I had told Kyubbi. I crawled into my sheets.

I am not in love with Sasuke. I don't care what Kyubbi…what anyone thinks. I can't be in love with Sasuke. I just…That can't possibly be it…could it?

"Good morning, Naruto!" Sakura greeted when I hit the bridge where we usually met.

I grinned at her. "Morning, Sakura. Good morning, Sasuke." I added at the end.

He acknowledged me with a nod and a mumbled, "Morning,"

I leaned on my elbows against the bridge. Commence waiting for Kakashi. He was always overly late.

We waited a good hour for Kakashi, Sakura making some little conversation with Sasuke and I, then finally, Kakashi showed up.

"YOU'RE LATE, KAKASHI-SENSEI!" Sakura and I screamed in unison. Sasuke just glared in the same annoyance.

"Ah. So sorry, I-" He started, shaking one hand.

"We don't want to hear it, Sensei!" I replied. He had a random generic excuse everyday for why he was late. We all knew they we're fakes.

He sighed, then began. "About today's mission…"

We all three turned and became more focused. "It's unfortunately arranged for tomorrow, but we're heading out today. We'll be there early, and maybe we can relax beforehand."

Yes! Real mission! We're going somewhere! "So, what's the mission, Kakashi?" Sakura questioned.

"It's an A-rank I need back-up for. I'll need you three to do some hiding, spying, and guarding for me."

Oh yes, it was awesome to top it off. "Seriously!? Woo-Hoo!" I felt the need to dance around because I didn't have dishes, or babysitting, or finding cats…But I restrained.

Sasuke smirked, and Sakura smiled weakly. She wasn't looking forward to this, I knew.

"Anyway," Kakashi broke in. "We can head out today, I'll give you an hour to pack anything you may need. Pack light."

When an hour had passed, we were all three by the gate to leave the village. Kakashi wasn't late that time.

"All packed, I see?" Kakashi stated more then asked. We all nodded. I had a sleeping pad rolled tight enough to fit in my one bag, Kunai, Shuriken, food pills, and bandages.

"What do you have to do?" Sasuke asked sullenly.

"It's an Assassination mission." He answered, trying to keep his voice low, but failed. He was avoiding Sakura and I.

"Who do you have to kill, Sensei?" Sakura asked innocently.

"No one you've heard of." He assured, patting the top of her head. "A Sound ninja who's been killing off ANBU and some other Leaf Ninja. They just want him dead, that's all. Nothing too extreme."

Nothing too extreme always lead to serious danger for us.

"So…Why can't we just do it now?" I asked. "Why do we have to wait another day?"

"The Sound ninja threatened, well…More like played Konoha. Their daring us to come kill him, like it's a game. He asked tomorrow."

I pouted. "Kakashi, you're supposed to surprise your enemies!"

He shook his head. "That's what the Sound ninja wants you to think. Now," His voice lightened on the last word. "I figured we could head in the direction of the sound, and maybe get some relaxation in before the mission officially starts."

Sakura sighed. "Some nice spot in the forest, you mean, Where we stop to set up camp? It sounds nice…"

"I know a good spot on the way to the Sound. There's water, and the sunset can be seen perfectly." Kakashi chimed.

"Then let's go already! We have to hurry if we want to be to Sound tomorrow!" I interrupted.

"Alright enough," Kakashi growled. "Everyone ready?"

We all nodded, and the journey towards sound began.

I got to be myself again. With a mission to take my mind away from my emotions, maybe I would forget the entire Sasuke problem.

Yeah, Right.

Thanks for the reviews :D they make me a happy fan-fic writer :)


	8. Sunset

I'm sorry for taking this long to put in details I forgot about.

They are at the 12/13 age, somewhere inbetween the Land Of Waves mission and the Chunin Exams. If anyone needs me to clear anything up, let me know!

"Hey Sensei, where's this spot?" Sakura asked, breaking the silence of a few minutes. Other then Sasuke, we were never quiet. We had walked or ran all day, clearing a huge distance between the Leaf and Sound villages. Dusk had just begun.

"We're almost there, actually. There's a clearing to the right after the next…quarter of a mile, or so." Kakashi answered, head lost in his book as he walked.

My brain sparked an opportunity. "Race you!" I exclaimed suddenly, only taking one glance at Sasuke before bolting forward.

He was quick to match my pace. I could hear Kakashi sigh and Sakura cheer behind us. He caught up to me, now we were side by side. We fought for the lead, taking turns getting in front of each-other.

I gasped suddenly. My foot caught on something. I tried to catch myself, but instead ended up falling forward and landing on my stomach. "Ow!"

I didn't have enough time to react, so I didn't get up. I stayed that way in amazement.

Sasuke slowed, losing momentum. He skidded to a stop, then turned around. "Sorry, dobe."

I crawled off my stomach and to my hands and knees, looking up. "What do you mean, 'sorry'?"

"I think I tripped you," He mumbled. "Didn't mean to." He came closer and offered his hand. "Here."

I looked at his hand for a half a second too long. Why wouldn't he take advantage of the situation and win, accident or not?

"Like it down there?" He asked, shaking me from my thoughts.

"Uh…No." I grabbed his hand, and he helped pull me to my feet. His hand was hot and sticky.

He let go, and I found myself disappointed.

"Hey, why'd you stop?" Sakura called, catching up to us along with Kakashi.

"The dobe tripped." Sasuke mocked.

"Over your foot!" I growled back. Then I noticed something. He wasn't an ass when we we're alone. When Sakura and Kakashi are around, he is.

Is he hiding from them that he can be something other then a bastard?

Okay, more importantly Sakura?

"Well anyway," Kakashi interrupted before our argument go any worse. "The clearing is to the right here, hear the water running?"

"I do!" Sakura chirped.

She was happy, so now she was the one running. I almost called Sasuke out again, but thought better of it. The other three of us sighed and followed slowly behind her.

"What do you guys think? Will this work for camping?" Kakashi asked. The trees parted to a creek-side clearing, encircled by coniferous trees like we had traveled through all day. It was large enough for us all to have room to sleep comfortably. The dirt clearing morphed into rocks, some of which were big enough to stand on where the creek started. The creek was four or five feet across. There was a break in the trees across the water that gave a perfect view of the setting sun, just like he had said.

"It's great, Sensei!" Sakura answered.

"Awesome!" I replied.

"Good," Sasuke mumbled.

Kakashi reached into one of his larger pockets, and pulled out an orange cover novel. "Enjoy the sunset then get some sleep." He said, head already in his book. He lowered himself to sitting against a rock, trying not to take his eyes off the pages.

I immediately went for my sandals, pulling them off. I left them strewn on the ground, and walked towards the water. I sat down next to the edge, dipping my feet in the water. "Cold!" I jerked them out and slowly put them back in.

"No, really Naruto?" Sakura said sarcastically, but she followed suit. She left her sandals in a more orderly fashion next to one of the rocks, then sat down about six feet away from me. She put her feet in, shivering, but kept them there.

"Hn." Sasuke didn't take his sandals off, just came down to sit in the gap between Sakura and I. (Much to her enjoyment.) He crossed his legs, obviously not wanting wet feet. He seemed a little dazed to me.

"Look at the colors…" Sakura mumbled. She was looking up at the setting sun. A perfect blend of orange, gold, pink, red, purple, and a slight blue hazed the sky.

"I know, the sunset is beautiful!" I exclaimed.

"What do you think, Sasuke?" Sakura asked, for once not eyeing him. She was too enthralled in the sky.

"Pretty." He practically breathed the words. It surprised Sakura because normally he'd turn his head and make up some kind of nothing special retort.

"It really is lovely," Kakashi surprised all of us. He topped looking at his book to eye the sunset.

Moments when our team could stop bickering and fighting, and enjoy the simple things in life that made it worth living were the best. When Sakura could stop crushing on Sasuke, when Sasuke could stop being an ass, and I'll even admit it, when I'm not annoying. They were my favorite moments.

Too bad they were short lived.

Sakura got too caught up in the sunset. I knew to her, it was all too romantic to not try at Sasuke's emotions. Sasuke was not one to get taken away by the moment.

And damn, she must have been feeling bold.

Silently, Sakura slowly scooted herself closer to Sasuke. His eyes were closed and he didn't notice. Hesitantly, she slid one hand closer to his, which was on the ground. Then she quickly, before he could react, slipped her hand underneath his.

His eyes snapped open, and he slapped at her hand. She drew back, and Sasuke gave her a 'What the hell do you think you're doing?' Glare.

"Sorry…" She muttered.

"What is it going to take, Sakura?" He asked suddenly. I thought maybe he had finally snapped.

"What?" She asked, already knowing what he was talking about anyway.

"How much to I have to reject you?"

She didn't answer. He rolled his eyes, turning his head away because she had began stroking her hand like it was treasure, now that Sasuke had touched it.

I fidgeted, trying to get my own hands to stop moving. I was not jealous. Was not.

Sasuke drifted back into his dazed state. Other then for Sakura's interruption, he seemed relaxed and content in this situation. It slowly began to get darker and darker.

When it was considerably dark, I had found myself nearly asleep where I sat. I had pulled my feet out and dried them off earlier. However, my eyes shot open, and I was completely awake when I felt it. It was only for a millisecond.

I felt Sasuke brush his hand over the top of mine.

It had to be an accident.

I had thought Kakashi fell asleep, but Sasuke's hand pulled back quickly at his voice. "Get some sleep, everyone."

"Yes Kakashi," We all answered automatically. Me more dreary then everyone else.

We all rolled out sleeping mats. Kakashi stayed against the tree. Sakura curled up instantly, her mat father away from all us boys. Sasuke and I were parallel to each other and spread apart on the bank.

"'Night everybody!" Sakura called.

"Goodnight." The rest of us called in unison.

I felt like Sakura. I knew it was pathetic, but I rubbed my hand as I fell asleep. It hadn't been this way when he helped me up, because he was just trying to help me. Now…No, it was an accident.

It had to be.


	9. Stop and Stare

The prologue makes sense now! Okay, okay, I know Sasuke should hurry up and do something, but he won't :P ...For awhile. When this mission is over, I promise it will get good :D But no spoilers as to why :)

* * *

"No…Please…"

I blinked, roused from my sleep. I held in a yawn and fully opened my eyes. It was pitch black! Normally I slept in late…

"Stop it…Don't…"

I looked around. Sakura and Kakashi were asleep, I turned to my side.

It was Sasuke.

He was unharmed, but the hand visible to me was clutching tight to the mat. His body tossed, and he was the mumbling. It was quiet enough for only me to hear.

"Sa-" I bit my tongue, remembering Kakashi and Sakura were asleep.

I crawled quietly to the other side of him. He was asleep, but his face was distorted in pain, maybe fear. He couldn't wake up, but his closed eyelids showed he was trying.

"Mom…Dad…Get away…"

I crawled closer to him. I knew now what he was dreaming about. More like having nightmares about. Just like he had told me, most of his nightmares were about his clan's murder. He must have been seeing his parents…being killed.

He was quiet for awhile, and I thought maybe it was over. Then he continued mumbling.

"Itachi…Why…"

"Sasuke," I called softly, getting closer so he might hear it, but Sakura and Kakashi wouldn't.

He gasped and sat upright, face to face with me. Inches away from my face, to be more exact. Both of our eyes were wide. We stayed like that for awhile. He was probably trying to focus that it was my face, not some random person.

He sighed quietly, and laid down again. "What were you doing?" He whispered, Sakura and Kakashi were too deep in sleep to hear anything.

"You were talking in your sleep. I wanted to see if you were okay." We were both whispering.

"I'm fine." He turned his head away. "You know…just dreaming. Sorry I woke you up."

"I woke up on my own," I said quickly, "I just…heard you, so…"

"Naruto…" He interrupted.

"Yeah?"

I bit my lip to hold in whatever sound may have followed.

He moved his hand so it rested on top of mine, for exactly a second that I could count. Then he drew back, his fingers sliding across my hand. He mumbled, "Go back to sleep."

I swallowed. "O-kay."

I fumbled to get back to my mat, then curled up and waited. After a while, Sasuke's breathing was even, and he had fallen peacefully back asleep.

That wasn't an accident. So, why did he do it? Why did I have that reaction?

_Kyubbi._

_What?_

_There's something wrong with me. I can feel it in the pit of my stomach._

_I've already told you the answer, kit._

_That can't possibly be right! _

_You've got something better?  
_

I curled up, trying to warm my body more.

_No. Never mind._

I fell back asleep too. Sasuke still the only thing in my mind, in my dreams.

I can't be in love with Sasuke. I just can't be. I won't let myself believe it, even if it is true!

I groaned and turned my head when the blinding sunlight came through the canopy. Then I changed my mind, thinking everyone would be mad if I slept in.

I sat up, yawning. I looked across from me, and saw Sakura's bed empty. I looked beside me one way, and saw Kakashi was absent as well. I turned the other way, and Sasuke was sitting upright, staring at me.

"So you were planning to wake up." He mumbled.

"Uhn, maybe." I rubbed my eyes.

"Kakashi went to go…do something. Sakura is down the creek a ways. Said she was filling a canteen or something…" Sasuke answered, before I could ask where the others were. "When Kakashi gets back, the mission begins for real." He added.

I fell backwards on my mat, but I was completely awake now. "What do you think he wants us to do?"

"Keep watch, or something like that."

I hated to keep concluding that I stared at him whenever I got the chance. But I still did anyway, and I was now. It was whenever he wasn't watching, so he never knew.

I almost turned. I almost turned away, then I wouldn't have been able to see his face.

He turned to look at me, and he could see the face that I had seen in the mirror. I sat back up slowly.

He didn't glare at me or give me dirty looks. He returned the staring with almost…curiosity. Maybe even a fraction of that admiration I had.

Neither of us could pull our eyes away.

"Boys?"

Both of us practically jumped and turned to see Kakashi. He glanced at Sasuke, then me, then back to Sasuke, and asked, "Do one of you have something on your face?"

"No," we said at the same time.

"Hey, Naruto! About time you got up!" Sakura came back with a canteen, water dripping off the sides.

"Um…Anyway, time to head out again." Kakashi said, shaking his head. "Here."

Kakashi tossed us all headsets. I almost dropped mine. "What's this for?" I asked. I still had the shock imprinted on my mind. Sasuke saw me starring at him, like that.

"When we get near a certain point, I'll go ahead, and you three will stay put. I'll head into Sound, and go to the meeting place. Your job is to stay behind and make sure he isn't sneaking out. That's what the headsets are for. You can tell me if you see him. You'll need to stay hidden."

We all nodded.

"Now, pack up. Quickly, then we'll leave." He ordered.

"Right!" I answered, starting to roll up my mat. Sasuke and Sakura followed.

When I was finished, I tied the ends and shoved it into my bag. Sasuke and Sakura did the same.

"You all have to be careful," Kakashi said, causing us to look up. "I don't know how dangerous he is. It's important he does not find out you're with me. You have to stay out of sight and out of hearing."

We nodded again, and Sakura shivered.

"Let's just go already!" I pulled my bag over my shoulders, and without anymore words, we took off running back through the trees, Kakashi leading us.

I wish I knew what Sasuke was thinking.


	10. Behind Us

Alright, since I have a few faithful people with this on their story alert list…I need to ask a question. When this story is all the way done, would anyone be interested in me re-writing it from Sasuke's point of view?

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UPDATE: 4/13 IF YOU'VE ALREADY READ THIS CHAPTER, PLEASE SEE THE MESSAGE AT THE BOTTOM!

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We ran until late afternoon, with only one break. It was just beginning to get dark, the sun slowly fading away. As we got closer to Sound, animal and plant life changed. Things got more swamp like.

At about 4:00, Kakashi told us to stop. "Test those headsets, you stop here."

I gulped, then reached behind my ear and clicked it on. Everyone else was doing the same. "Testing?" I asked.

"I can hear you." Sakura answered.

"I hear both of you." Kakashi said.

"Hn."

"I hear Sasuke!" Sakura chirped.

"I do too." Kakashi answered.

"Me too…"

"Alright. Listen up," Kakashi began. "Don't go past this point. Stay hidden. Say so in your headsets if you see anyone suspicious out here. For now, turn them off. I'm going to where he actually said he would be. This shouldn't take long at all, if all goes right."

Yeah, if all goes right. Which it never does. I sware we attracted danger. We all reached up to turn them off.

"Be careful." Kakashi reminded us, then took off running, deeper into the swampy like forest.

A few seconds passed, and he disappeared from sight.

"Alright," Sasuke spoke up, causing Sakura and I to jump and look. "We need to stay hidden, but in a way where we can still see. Sakura, see this big tree?" He motioned towards a tree near us.

"Yeah!" She nodded.

"Climb up it. That way you'll be hidden, and you can see most of the landscape."

"Right!" She dashed towards the tree, only taking a second to focus chakra into her feet. She walked up the tree without using her hands. She was better then both of us at that.

"We'll patrol the ground." Sasuke called up to her. "Turn on your headset and tell us if you see anything move. Tell us the direction and speed and such."

"I will, Sasuke!" She sat on a branch and waved.

"Tch." He rolled his eyes.

"So, I'll go that way," I pointed in the east direction. "And you'll go that way." Then I pointed West.

He nodded. "Sure. Cover your area and look for anything suspicious. Let's go in a circle. Come back to this spot, and we'll meet up."

"Yeah," Up until lately, I always usually argued with him on these kinds of things. At least Sakura wasn't catching on.

"Be careful you two." Sakura called quietly from the tree.

"We will!" I assured her.

I sware, when anything, and I mean ANYTHING moved, I freaked out. Even if it was just a bird. I would tense up and look around. The scenery wasn't helping. It was dusky, and the trees blocked out a majority of the light, making everything dim. The ground was muddy and wet in places, making me jump whenever I stepped and heard squishing noises.

It had been about half an hour down my direction, so I figured it was time to head back. I never saw anything suspicious, just some birds and a cat.

I stopped, turned back the way I had come, and started back.

I had been thinking a lot more about Sasuke too, since I got the time alone.

He saw me…stare at him like that. Like that! Urgh…

And I was worrying about it. Like I really did L-

Urgh, I have to stop thinking about it.

By this time, Kakashi could have already killed the guy. He could be back with Sakura, waiting for our return. Maybe everything would go right, for once.

Like I had planned, it took me a half hour to get back to Sakura.

"Hey Sakura! I'm back!" I called. She looked down from her branch. "See anything?" I asked.

"Nope, nothing!" She called back.

I found a nice rock and sat against it. "Keep watching! We can't miss anything!"

"I will!" She answered.

A few minutes passed, and We heard fast-paced footsteps. Seconds later, Sasuke came into view.

"See anything?" I asked, bored with the mission at this point.

"No." He answered simply. He sounded bored too. He stood for a few minutes, then sat against another tree near me.

Another few minutes passed, and Sakura came down. "Getting dark…Do you think Kakashi-Sensei killed him already?"

"Maybe, he could have just been far a-"

I stopped, hearing the whooshing like sound of a kunai being pulled through the air. I looked about, and Sasuke had done it. He held the knife in front of him. "Nobody move." He ordered.

Sakura shook slightly from where she stood, and I sat motionless.

The moments ticked by, and Sasuke's body relaxed. He didn't put the kunai back, however. "Sorry. I sensed strong chakra, then it was gone."

"Sensei?" Sakura tried.

"Maybe." He answered. But he didn't let the knife go.

A short instant passed, and I heard something. It sounded like a footstep. "Did you hear that?!" I asked, standing up.

"I knew it." Sasuke growled, standing up as well. We all tensed up and waited. Sounds and chakra waves got louder and closer. Someone or something was coming.

I could see no one, but suddenly there was a voice. "Are you his little spies?" The voice was deep, but eerily soft.

Behind us.

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MESSAGE!

UGH! Sorry everybody, I am going through extreme writer's block! The next chapter is being written very slowly, but I promise it will be done eventually! I am not quitting :D It just might not be for a long time! I might write some side stories or oneshots to help the block...

Thank you for all of your encouraging reviews :D It means a lot to me!

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	11. Fatal

* * *

Chapter 11 is now complete :D I actually sat down at about 10:00 PM, the wrote until about 1:00 AM, and finished ; I hate to dissapoint!

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Sakura made an 'Eep!' sound, and we all turned around like lightning.

All I could see in front of me was the swampy like woods. "Where are you!?" I demanded.

I scanned all in front of and to the sides of me, the others doing the same. Sasuke spun back around, so I followed.

"Konoha sent children?" The voice was still there, but he, (I assumed) wasn't in sight.

"Come out, coward!" Sakura called.

Her comment was completely ignored. "They must not have known who they were dealing with. Not that anyone could kill me, anyway."

"Just come out!" I growled. Was this the guy? Where's Sensei?

The tapping of footsteps got louder and louder, and we tensed further. Then abruptly, they stopped.

"Where are they?" I whispered, referring to the footsteps.

"Maybe he stopped." Sakura muttered.

Sasuke shook his head. "No, he might have moved, or changed positions again."

"You're a smart boy." It all happened at once. From behind us, multiple and continuous kunai came, causing the familiar metallic sound of the metal and the air's friction.

"Move!" Sasuke ordered.

Sakura gasped, and she wouldn't have been quick enough. I grabbed her arm and pulled her with me in my jump. Sasuke used the kunai he was still holding, and deflected the others coming his way with quick hand movements.

"Stay here!" I told her, leading her out of harms way. She nodded, and I dashed back to Sasuke, the kunai knives slowing their assault. I stayed a few yards behind him.

Amused yet horrifying, quiet laughter filled my ears. "So you can fend off some knives. What else are you good for?"

Sasuke and I stared at the figure suddenly approaching us from the camouflage of the shadowy trees.

"Sensei!" Sakura yelled into her headset.

"Sakura? What's wrong?" Kakashi asked worriedly.

"Did you find him!?" She asked.

"No…" He sensed the panic in her voice.

Then this has to be him. "He…he's with us! Sasuke and Naruto are…"

"Calm down, Sakura. I'm coming. Don't panic."

"R-r-ight!"

A human being's figure, no less. But his voice gave me other suspicions. In the little light that our eyes had adjusted to, we could see him.

He was tall and thin, but obviously older. Maybe fifties or sixties. He had long black hair that went down past his shoulders. He had golden yellow eyes that got just the right gleam from the little moonlight. He had darker marks under his eyes I couldn't tell the color of, thanks to the lack of light. I could tell, however, that his skin was very pale. Much paler then Sasuke's. So much, it sort of…illuminated, in the tiny light.

He wore black clothes with a lighter colored over cloak. He had a darker colored rope tied around his waist.

"Who are you?" Sasuke demanded, holding his defensive posture.

"What makes you think you're special enough to know?" He mocked. "You're just children in my way."

"In your way of what?" I growled.

"I have a Konoha Jounin to kill."

"So you're the one Kakashi was sent to kill." Sasuke mused.

His face changed, he became even more amused. "Kakashi? They sent Kakashi?" Then he laughed again.

"How do you know him!?" I demanded, still unfaltering from my tense position.

"That isn't any of your business, either. Where is he?" He demanded.

"We don't know." Sasuke answered before I could.

He was quiet for a minute. "Then why are you here?" His tone was still amused.

"We're his squad! We were watching out for you!" And we didn't stay hidden. This probably wouldn't have happened if he never found us. Who is he? And how in the hell does he know Kakashi? How strong was he…

And if he was strong, what would he do to us?

"So I should finish you three off and find him." He hissed.

Ew. Ew. Ew. He licked his lips, and this must have been where my suspicion came from. His tongue was like…eight inches long!

"What are you?!" Sasuke asked, emphasizing on are.

He ignored him. "I'll just kill all three of you. Starting with the annoying blonde one."

I drew back slightly.

"I don't have time for you children, so I'll make this quick and easy."

I swallowed, and tried to move.

Then I tried to move again.

I couldn't move.

He came towards me. "But it won't be painless." He had another kunai in his hand. He intended to rip me open. Stab me. Do something with it.

"Ah…I can't…" I started, trying to shake free.

"Naruto get out of the way! Move!" Sakura called. "Do something!" Her voice shook.

"Naruto, don't just stand there!" Sasuke growled.

"I-I can't move!" I said in slight hysterics.

He lunged forward at me, aiming to pull up through my chest. More importantly, my lungs, heart, any other vital organs.

Even if I knew I wasn't going to die here, I'd find some way to pull through, or have Kyubbi heal me, in such situations, you usually see your life pass right before you eyes.

I did. The last thing I saw before I would be stabbed, was Sasuke. Sasuke who didn't know that I…

Then I opened my eyes. There was no pain.

And I really saw Sasuke, in front of me, with his back to me.

Taking the fatal blow that I would have been feeling.

Don't you just LOVE cliffhangars? (Sarcasm)


	12. Denial Break

(This is WAY too Déjà vu of the land of waves arc. I'm sorry for stealing that whole concept. Of course there's differences.)

* * *

"Aaarrgh!"

It only took a split second for me to figure out what had happened, and then to react.

Too much happened at once around me to take in. Sakura screamed, the sound dude said something, Kakashi came. He had obviously gotten the sound ninja away from me. But my vision was blurry and my mind was clouded to everything but Sasuke.

He wrapped his arms around his torso. He tried to keep his stature, but slowly went to his knees. I dropped beside him. "Sasuke…"

"Rrrghh! Argh!" He clutched tighter, and growled and screamed from pain. The wound was extremely, extremely deep and bleeding freely, but miraculously hadn't hit any vital organs. He had no problems breathing, and he wasn't blacking out.

Yet.

I unzipped and ripped off my jacket, then wrapped it around as much of the rip as I could.

"Sasuke, just…" I knew it wouldn't make much difference talking.

"Argh! Rrr…It hurts!" He screamed.

I pulled my jacket tighter, trying to stop the blood. "Calm…D-"

He was still growling and gripping at his chest, but his eyes were closing. He was forcing his consciousness, and he couldn't hold it much more. He had lost way too much blood.

"Sasuke! Stay with me!" I yelled.

"Rrr…" His eyes closed completely, and he slipped off his knees and on to his side.

For a second, I was upset. I panicked. Then all at once, I was angry. I was still oblivious to the world around me. My anger quickly hit Kyubbi's switch, and that was it. I felt my sub-consciousness lose control, and Kyubbi take over. My chakra strengthened, my nails grew, and my senses intensified.

But damn, Kakashi was good.

I don't now how he found a break in whatever he was doing, or what had happened to the sound ninja, but he got to me. He grabbed me by the back of my shirt. I snarled and thrashed with my newly clawed hands, but he ignored it.

With a swift, hard punch in my temple, I blacked out.

* * *

_Wake up._

_Uhn…_

I said wake up, kit.

_Kyubbi?_

_We got knocked out._

_I know…Kakashi obviously didn't want me out of contro- Hey! What happened to Sasuke?!_

_You think I know?_

He saved me, Kyubbi!

_He was bleeding! He might die!_

Why don't you just go back to sleep? Your body will be unconscious for awhile. There isn't anything you can do.

_But…Sasuke…_

_There's nothing for you to do._

_Whatever, Kyubbi. _I wanted to yell at him some more, but decided he was right, and it wouldn't help anyway.

Sasuke might be dead, Sakura and Kakashi might be killed, and anything could be happening to my body.

* * *

It felt like minutes in my sub-consciousness, but it could have been days for all I knew, when I finally woke up. Body and all.

It was bright, so I definitely wasn't in the swampy like woods anymore. I woke up to…

A ceiling.

I was warm, covered in blankets. I sat up, and looked around.

I was in someone's house. There was a window to my left, and a door in front of me. There was a bedside table to my right.

Duh. I was in Iruka's house.

How the HELL did I get to IRUKA'S house?

The door knob of the door in front of me turned, and I jumped, grabbing at one of the blankets. It was Iruka. He blinked for a second then said, "So, you're finally awake. Kakashi must have hit you hard." He smiled.

"How…did I get here?" I asked, still in shock.

"Kakashi told me as much of the story as he could. He brought you back here. He carried you, along with Sasuke and Sakura back. He let the Sound ninja get away." He explained.

"Sasuke! Where's Sasuke!?" I asked, panicked.

"Calm down," He smiled at my anxiety. It must have meant Sasuke was alright. "Sasuke's in the hospital. He'll be let out tomorrow. You were out for a day and a half."

I sighed. Iruka's face got more serious. "How did that happen? Kakashi left that out. He said he didn't see."

'How' wasn't what I was thinking about. I was wondering 'why.' "Oh…he saved me. It might have been me."

"I guess I shouldn't go into details, then." Iruka mumbled. "How are things going with him?"

"Good. Can I go see him?" I changed the subject because I did NOT want to talk about my feelings right now.

"Sure, sure. Sakura's probably there, anyway." He answered.

* * *

Minutes later, after going through a head check, I was on my way to Konoha's hospital.

What do you say? What do you say to someone after they save you from what may have been certain death, had you not had the most amazing sensei in the world?

Thank you wasn't enough.

I got to the hospital and reached the lobby.

"Hi there!" The lady at the front desk perked up when she saw me come in.

"Which room is Sasuke Uchiha in?" I asked, pulling off a smile.

"102, Sweetie. To the very end of this hall, and the one on the right." She motioned with one hand down the hall.

"Thanks," She stopped me before I could turn.

"Is this yours?"

I turned to see her holding my orange and blue jacket, folded and cleaned. The blood was gone. "Yeah," I took it from her. "Thanks."

"Sorry about what happened." She said softer as I walked away.

I pulled my jacket back on as I walked down towards the end of the hall. The walls were an off white color, and the concrete made clomping sounds as I walked on it.

"104, 103, 102." I stopped, and hesitantly opened the door. "Hello?"

"Naruto! You're finally awake!" Sakura's semi-cheerful voice was the last thing I thought about.

I was really paying attention to Sasuke, in the bed closest to the door. The other side of the room was curtained off, but vacant.

"Sasuke's sleeping, too." She said, and I swallowed my sigh. I sat down next to her on the bench my Sasuke's bed.

"What happened to him, exactly?" I asked.

She brushed down her dress and took a deep breath. "After Kakashi-Sensei knocked you out, he did some jutsu and made the four of us transport away. He carried Sasuke and you, and I ran. He carried me whenever I slowed down, because he said it was important. He got Sasuke to regain consciousness, too," She changed the tone in her voice, it sounded a bit sadder. "He stopped most of the bleeding, and when we got very close to Konoha, Sasuke started saying he could hardly breathe. Then he couldn't breathe at all. Later, when we got him to the hospital, we found out he got a tiny rip in his lung tissue. In his poor condition, it got worse quickly. But he's fine now!" Her voice perked up at the end. "Can I ask you a favor?" She said suddenly.

"Sure, anything." But my gaze at the sleeping Sasuke never faltered.

"I'm going to go get some lunch, I haven't eaten today. Will you stay with Sasuke? Be sure to tell him I'll be right back!" She added.

Like he cares, I thought. "Sure."

"Thanks, Naruto!" She stood up and dashed out.

Now that she was gone, I could concentrate on Sasuke.

His eyes were closed and he was sweating slightly. His face-framing hair stuck to his cheeks. He looked even paler then he normally did. Underneath the sheets, he had pants on, and his chest was bare, but wrapped in bandages.

"Idiot…Saving me like that," I mumbled. I took one of his hands, the one closest to me, and held it with both of mine, squeezing softly. "I wish you would wake up."

"I guess…I could."

I dropped his hand immediately. "Were you faking it!?" I growled.

"Yeah…" He shifted slightly, pushing his body into sitting it up. "But only because of Sakura."

I sighed, "Why did you do that?"

He looked surprised. "Do what?"

"Save me, stupid." I whispered.

He was quiet for a second. Then finally after he noticed my fidgeting, "You're mad?"

"No! I'm not mad," I started. "But just, why?"

"I didn't want to see you get hurt. You're precious to me."

If my heart was an ocean, and my denial was a bridge I had been building over the ocean, it had just collapsed, and all the people in the cars fell in and drowned. Then the denial bridge broke off one end of the valley, and hit the bottom of my stomach. (I just wanted to say, that's my favorite paragraph. ;))

I bit my lip and shivered. "I have to go." In just that one moment, I think I snapped.

"Hn?" He looked up at me, surprised.

I stood up. "Sorry, I think I forgot something." I started to leave as quickly as I could. I couldn't bear to look him in the face.

I got out before he could say anything, and on my way out, I saw a very surprised and confused Sakura.

Time went very slowly in my mind as I headed back towards Iruka. I couldn't deny or get away from my feelings anymore. I needed to tell someone the truth.

"'Ruka!" I called, bursting back through his door.

"Hm? Naruto, what's the matter?" He looked more concerned then he should, so my expression must have been worse then I thought.

"Iruka, I can't take it anymore!" I cried. He came closer and rested his hands on my shoulders. I was close to breaking down.

"Calm down, what's wrong?"

"I'm in love with Sasuke!"

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Dun, Dun, DUN! :D Please review :) If any of you asked, (Cause I know someone did) NOW he's admitting it :)


	13. Confessions Are Better

Wow :O I sat down and wrote another chapter! I think I forgot to mention, this story and it's sequel, (And maybe the version from Sasuke's point of view, I don't know) Have to be completed by december 16th. This is my best friends birthday present :D :D She says she is not reading it until december, so it has to be complete by then :)

If you don't like KakaIru, Ignore it please :D It will probably continue to come up, but only in mentioning. There will be very little interaction that I write ;) I might do a KakaIru story someday.

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I felt sick to my stomach and ashamed. That was most of the reason I couldn't fight back the tears as much as I wanted to.

I think I hadn't been held by Iruka since I was seven or eight years old. He just kept telling me to calm down, stop crying.

I knew why I was, but I couldn't stop. I wanted to, because it was pathetic.

The ashamed part came from the fact that I had one of those, 'just as bad as Sakura' feelings. I wasn't any better, other then the fact my affection wasn't public. Besides that, it was Sasuke.

Who was a guy.

The sick to my stomach feeling was partly from my desperation and partly from me not eating for nearly two days. Maybe that would help.

"'Ruka…" I sniffed. I hadn't spoken after my confession until now.

"Hm?" He still had his arms around me, and I was still standing up.

"I'm h-hungry." I managed. I couldn't say much else.

He rubbed my head softly. "Compose yourself, and we can discuss this over ramen."

* * *

After I had stopped and my face had lost it's redness, Iruka and I were sitting in Ichiraku, waiting for bowls of ramen. It was empty besides us. Strange, Iruka had the day off today, so the kids must have as well. Yet, no one else was here.

"Tell me everything," He began, his voice still filled with worry and concern.

"I love him, Iruka. I can't think of any other word to describe my feelings." I answered.

The ramen came, and I instantly stopped to eat some. Iruka did to. It felt amazing on my stomach, even if it wasn't exactly empty. At least, it was empty of food.

"Why do you love him?" It wasn't an accusation, he really sounded sincere. "Sasuke isn't exactly…open. The way I've seen him, he's cold and cruel." First, why do you stare? Now, why do you love?

"The rest of the world sees Sasuke Uchiha." I answered. He looked at me quizzically for a moment. "I see Sasuke. Just Sasuke."

"You see what's inside. Not outside." Iruka responded. It wasn't a question.

"Sasuke is cold to the world around him because that's who he is. I think…He doesn't want people to see who he is inside, how he really feels, or acts. But…" I started. I thought everything as I said it. I said what came to mind in the moment. "I feel like I know what's inside. Like, he shows me. I love him, not because he shows off, and he's a jerk…" Even though I actually didn't care about that. "But because, He understands me, and I understand him. We've been through a lot. He's really calm, and quiet. He's smart and inside, he really does care. He saved me like that."

I really hoped Iruka didn't mind me practically talking to myself.

"I always want to help him. He's lost and broken, and all he wants is revenge. Not to mention…" I trailed off. I decided not to say it.

"What?" Iruka asked, noticing my hesitation.

"Nothing." I shook my head.

"Come on, tell me." He smiled slightly.

I swallowed the ramen in my mouth. "He's gorgeous."

He chuckled. "Well, I guess I understand. What are you going to do now?" We both slurped up more ramen.

"I don't know. What should I do?" I seriously didn't know. Oh wait, no. He was going to suggest…

"Tell him the truth." He smiled broadly at me.

"NO!" I answered immediately. "I can't tell him the truth! What if he thinks I'm a freak, and he hates me!?" I asked, appalled that he would even suggest that.

He laughed. "Well, that's true. But can you keep it a secret forever?"

I sighed. "No, probably not. Iruka?"

He swallowed some more ramen. "Hm?"

"Thanks, Iruka. I love you." I smiled. "Thanks for putting up with me."

He tousled my blonde hair. "Not at all." He smiled.

"So…You are here."

We both jumped and looked up. Kakashi stood before us, smiling and rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry…"

"Kakashi!" I exclaimed, blushing. "How long have you been here!?"

"Long enough, Naruto." He answered calmly.

I blushed harder. "Don't tell. Please don't say anything…" I begged, trailing off.

"Relax, I won't." He smiled at my embarrassment. "Iruka, do you mind if I talk to you alone?" He asked.

"Sure thing." He turned to me. "Why don't you go see Sasuke?" He smirked. He would probably tease me with that for life.

"Sure." I grumbled. "Thanks for the ramen." I walked out.

* * *

"Don't say it." Iruka challenged.

"I have to." He answered. "They're totally clueless. All we have to do is…"

"No." He interrupted. "They have to find out on their own."

Kakashi sighed. "But-"

"It takes away the magic if you just tell them. It will make it all the better if one of them confesses." Iruka said, shaking his head.

"So…It's better for love, if one confesses." He was quieter, obviously not referring to Sasuke and Naruto anymore.

Iruka turned his head. "If someone tells you, there's no point in confession. That's what makes everything worth it." He hadn't caught on.

Kakashi came closer. "So, better if someone confesses." Iruka turned back around, wondering why he kept saying that.

"Go away, Kakashi." Iruka shook his head and paid for the ramen, then stood up.

"Hey, Wait-!" He tried.

"Don't say that, either."

Well...The next chapter will have more Sasuke/Naruto interaction. I guess you could call this a filler chapter XD


	14. Thank You's

I just wanted to say, I have watched this particular AMV AT LEAST twenty times as I have written this story. It's breathtaking, and the girl who made it deserves much more credit then she gets. It reminds me of why I love SasuNaru so much :D Please watch, she needs it. Absolutely amazing: /watch?vaJZhHzcijzE

* * *

Also, I'm sorry If this chapter ruins the mood :( Slow moving relationship has finally hit something .

* * *

I really wasn't in the mood to go back and apologize to Sasuke. Not that I didn't want to see him, I just wasn't in the mood to make up excuses as to why I had to leave. I would see him when he got released tomorrow.

_Hello, Kyubbi._

_I was asleep, you brat._

I smiled. _Sorry. So, I guess you were right._

_About what?_

_I guess I really am in love with Sasuke._

_I am always right._

His sternness didn't bother me, today. I think maybe now that I was over the shock, my realization would make me happy.

At least, for today. As soon as I saw him again, I knew the desperation that clung to my stomach would return.

I went home and did more training. Push-ups and sit-ups and such. I couldn't think of much else I wanted to do. I wanted it to be tomorrow.

I was incredibly happy, actually. My day went smoothly, even if it was boring. There was nothing left to bother me about it, now that I had gotten the feelings out.

Later that night after eating, (Not ramen,) I fell asleep easy, too. Dreaming of Sasuke, much to Kyubbi's displeasure.

I was probably too relaxed and content, because I forgot to set my alarm. I yawned and sat up, stretching my arms out. I looked at the clock.

"11:00 AM! Crap!" I threw off my sheets, and ran into my closet. I threw on my jacket and stumbled around on one foot while trying to get clean pants on.

I hope he hadn't already been released, I wanted to see him out. Hell, he could already be home, at this point.

I skipped breakfast. I thought only a moment later that if I was going to see him, it may be better to have food on my stomach. But oh well. I started towards the hospital, running. I could at least check.

About half way there, I saw Sakura walking in the opposite direction.

"Good morning, Sakura!" I waved. "Has Sasuke gotten out?"

She looked up at me glumly. "No, he told me he'd be leaving in a few minutes. He said I was being annoying."

Well, she always was. "Oh." I couldn't think of anything to say. I think she may have been surprised, wondering why I didn't make up some excuse for her to hang out with me, instead.

A while back, I may have. Wow.

"See you," She sulked, then continued walking. I waited until she was out of sight before running again.

He was still there, I guess, so I could see him.

When I finally got there, it was the same lady as before. "Hey! Looking for your friend?" She said, the same perky attitude as before.

"Yeah, is he checking out?" I felt enthusiastic still. I think she was happy my mood had lifted.

"He left awhile ago. But he said he was going to the training grounds to look for someone." She informed me.

Hopefully, that meant me. "Thanks!" I dashed back out of the hospital, her waving behind me from her desk.

"I guess he isn't here. I thought he would be." Sasuke mused. He was standing, and appeared to be completely fine. His wound must have healed quickly.

I knew because I ran up behind him then.

It wasn't until he turned around, that I realized he was still far from healing. Or at least, how bad off I would be if he hadn't saved me.

He wasn't wearing his high necked shirt, like he had before. He was wearing a black shirt with no neck, sort of v-lined. It allowed me to see that the bandages were still there, and that they reached all the way up to his neck. They were still wrapping down his chest, too. I could see them in the v-opening.

His eyes were glazed with pain, and he was frowning ever so slightly, so even if dull, the pain still must have been there.

"Hey," He said simply lifting his hand. "What happened to you, yesterday?"

I knew that would probably be the first thing he would say, and yet I hadn't planned an answer. "I didn't feel so good." At least I wasn't lying. "Sasuke…" I started. I hadn't even done it yet, and I was already regretting what I was about to do.

"Hm? Are you okay?" He offered, then abruptly cringed.

Because in one move, (I so regretted this,) I had my arms around him in the most awkward hug I had ever given in my life.

He stayed with arms slightly raised, then after a few moments, he surprised me. He wrapped his arms back around me, pulling me closer, so close I was pressed tightly against his body. He didn't seem to mind. Had I not been so happy, I may have passed out. I also noticed I was shorter then I thought, compared to him. He was a lot taller.

"Thanks, Sasuke." I managed to say, trying not to choke.

"I've been through worse." He answered.

Only one more silent moment passed before I, well, more like TRIED to break away, but the moment I did, he pulled me back tighter against him, not wanting me to move.

Then, I think more then the happiness, it was the adrenaline that kept me standing.

His hands traveled higher, gently touching both of my cheeks. He pulled only my face away from his body, and kissed my forehead softly. "I'm fine. There's nothing you need to worry about."

Yesterday, my denial hit my stomach. Today, it was my entire heart, only in my throat.

Finally I broke away. "So, I think we won't have missions today." I breathed, trying to expel what had just happened.

It was not physically, naturally, mentally, or instinctively possible that Sasuke Uchiha could somehow feel the same way about me that I did for him.

And yet…

"No. Probably not." He replied. His mind seemed to be elsewhere. "So I'll probably go home."

"You don't want to stay and chat?" I asked, the small talk annoying the hell out of me. I was so pathetic when it came to these things. "I mean…You know, talk."

"Sure."

Moments later, I was sitting beside him against one of the bigger trees. It was wide enough at the base for us both to recline on it. Not his tree. It was completely silent, we didn't even breathe audibly.

"Are you sure you're okay? One hundred percent?" I offered, finally breaking our silence.

"I already told you, I'm fine." He mumbled.

My shoulders slumped. "I was just checking." But I knew he was fine, it was just really all I could say.

Since I'm sitting next to him, I might as well go over my conclusion again.

I'm in love with Sasuke Uchiha.

I knew from the very beginning, of the starring, but my mind couldn't accept it. But the sick feeling wouldn't go away.

The weird part now, was that I didn't know wether he loved me, somehow, someway, or not.

I wasn't assured that he did or didn't.

"Sasuke?" I asked.

"Dobe, I'm fine." He answered automatically.

"No! Not that!" I growled.

"What?" He looked me in the eyes, taking me seriously now.

"Why did you-" I started, unable to form words. But I had to know. I couldn't get out of what I was trying to say, anyway.

But I still couldn't form words. Hesitantly, I improvised, bringing one hand to my forehead, starring at him.

He didn't answer, just looked away from me. "Oh."

It was quiet for a long time, so I assumed I wouldn't get an answer.

"So much for talking." He said suddenly, making me jump slightly. "I'm going to go home."

I nodded as he got up. "Thank you. For saving me, I mean." I added at the end.

"Yeah. You're welcome."

I have WAY too much time on my hands. I get out a chapter a day, right now. That might change .


	15. Leading you on to know

In a sense, I guess this could be, 'What you've all been waiting for.' Let's leave it at that. :D

* * *

A few days and missions passed and we didn't speak to each other. At least, he never spoke to me, so I never tried. A few days became an entire week.

As for the violence at night, I heard mostly screaming and cussing, but nothing physical had happened. It was almost SAD that was the LAST thing on my mind.

Sakura never asked, but she saw how quiet we always were. We never argued, even. We made as little contact as possible with each other. Only when necessary to a mission, or when Kakashi told us to.

Kakashi noticed to. He stayed behind a lot to talk to Sasuke about who knows what. I wish I knew.

(Lol, what do you guys think he was talking about?)

I hated it.

I wanted to talk to him, at least, to be civil with him. Be his friend, and not have to pretend like he wasn't there.

I wanted to tell him I loved him more then anyone in the world. But I wanted more for him to not hate me.

Or laugh at me.

But I wasn't willing to live my whole life with him practically, no he is, ignoring me.

Tonight when I got home, I decided to chat with Kyubbi.

_The Uchiha boy hasn't spoken to you in awhile._

_Do you think I don't realize that?_

_Humans aren't as slow as I thought. Mind you, whatever you do, we share a body. I have to go through everything you do._

_Why? What do you think I'll do?_

_I wish you would do nothing._

_What are you going to do about it?_

_If you do something I don't like, I'll make sure you throw up anything you eat for the following days after you do._

_What do you not like? Nothing I would do effects you._

_No sex._

I screamed in the real world, then focused back to our conversation.

_I'll have YOU know, animals and humans are way different when it comes to sex! THANK YOU! We do not have sex at 2 or 3 years of age like you would!_

_Maybe they should. I would. You expect me to know these things?  
_

_YES! I DO! Besides, when HUMANS are in love with each other, __they don't just have sex, they grow in a relationship first._

_Well I just-_

_And anyway, Sasuke and I would never be together! He'd never love me like I love him!  
_

_Shut-up, kit!_

I stopped and was quiet.

_How do you know that?_

I just do. He wouldn't.

_What about last week?_

Being Nice.

_Whatever._

But we both knew that wasn't the truth.

Why did he do it?

It wasn't possible. Period.

But that's what I said about not loving him, too.

_Now Shut-up and let me sleep._

_Fine, stupid fox._

I rolled over on my bed and turned out my light. I should probably sleep too, but I wanted to concoct a way to talk to Sasuke, maybe I could even ask him…

No, I'll start with just getting him to speak to me again.

How could that bastard do something totally awkward, then not speak to me?

* * *

I woke up with my alarm that morning, growling. I didn't want to get up. At least not to another day of Sasuke not speaking to me. I thought of no special plan, but I would get him to speak to me.

"'Morning Naruto!" Sakura called as usual.

"Morning." I muttered, casting a glance at Sasuke. He said nothing and kept his head turned.

Sakura was used to the absence of interaction by now. She just shrugged.

Then the hour wait for Kakashi began. We got bored to the point where Sakura and I were playing tic-tac-toe in the dirt with sticks. Sasuke watched with little interest.

"Good morning!" Sakura and I were quick to act when we heard his voice.

"You're LATE!" We accused loudly.

"Well, I just-" Kakashi started, smiling. More like smirking, but you never knew. It was because we couldn't do anything about it.

"Just get on with the mission." Sasuke hissed. His excuses were still crap.

"We don't have one. I'm going to each Sakura some chakra focusing skills, and you two are going to spar. We clear?" He asked.

We both nodded.

Sakura an I got up from sitting by our makeshift game board. "What do I have to do?" She asked.

"We'll leave the boys alone. I'll teach you the technique somewhere else." Kakashi answered.

"Oh…Okay." She sounded disappointed. She probably wanted to watch Sasuke, as usual.

Kakashi shot Sasuke a glance I couldn't understand, and Sasuke, to my amazement, didn't glare. He just nodded. He looked paler then usual.

"Have fun!" Sakura called, as she and Kakashi walked away. I watched them until they disappeared. That was obviously a mistake.

Suddenly a hand was grabbing for my throat, and I only took a split-second to react.

I grabbed Sasuke's wrist and twisted myself around. With that we began hand-to-hand combat.

He never once looked me in the face, just kept his head down, concentrating on blocking my feet and finding openings through my own evading hands.

He probably wasn't just being a show-off in doing so, either. He was just doing it to remain without contact.

"Sasuke?" I asked, hands still moving. As are combat was still going on without I break, I tried speaking to him.

He looked up slightly, aiming to punch me in the ribs but being blocked by my hand. I kicked at his shin but missed as well. His hair shadowed his eyes. "Hn?"

Oh. My. God. A response. Our fighting did not cease ever as we spoke. "Why aren't you speaking to me?"

It was harder then I thought to concentrate, think about the problem, and talk. He altered his tactics, and grabbed at my blocking hand. I tried to twist free, but his grip was unbreakable. Much stronger then before.

He grabbed my other arm, and twisted them in an x-fashion across my chest. Not hard enough to hurt, but to keep me there. I didn't bother kicking at him. I wanted to know.

"It bothers you?"

I realized how much I missed his deep, clear, brooding voice. It was like he was speaking thought. It was versatile. It could be loud, quiet, filled with rage and hate, or comfort and love.

"I miss talking to you." I said my thoughts aloud. "Why are you?" I said, a more loud, demanding tone.

He stared at me hard for a moment, then freed my arms. "Because I did to much."

I blinked. "What?"

"Nothing." He turned. "If you wanted me to talk to you, you could have asked."

He made ME sound stupid in this situation. "Okay, I want to talk to you. Now."

Sasuke turned around, and looked at me expectantly.

"Because you did to much when?" I let out the breath I didn't know I had been holding.

His eyes flashed. "Do I have to tell you?"

"Yeah, tell me." I ground out, thinking I knew the answer.

"I just did too much. I let on too much, and now I'm fixing my mistake." He answered, speaking in confusing terms.

And yet, I knew exactly what he meant, but I somehow didn't. I was torn between what it actually was and if I actually believed it.

"I've seen you make no mistakes." I muttered. "And…Let on to what?" I knew if he answered that, my thoughts would be clarified.

"Absolutely nothing."

I didn't want to believe it. I knew it was a lie, first of all, and I realized it was very hard to get an Uchiha to crack. I felt like I already knew the truth, but would not have another break-down until I knew for sure.

"Bull crap, Sasuke. Tell me." I said, but I surprised myself when my voice was still soft.

"No. It doesn't matter anyway."

"But it's something!" I answered. I felt like an idiot, we were having the dumbest yet most meaningful conversation ever.

"Yeah." He replied.

"Please?"

He put one hand on my shoulder and I tried not to jump. He touched my forehead with his other hand. "When I kissed you. I did too much."

I swallowed hard. I knew the answer, but I had to get him to say it. "Too much of what?" I swallowed my choke.

He shifted his arms and locked them around my neck, pulling my head into his chest.

"Letting you to close to knowing that I'm in love with you." His voice broke.

* * *

Another, dun dun DUN! Moment XD Well, considering I have the coolest story subscribers/reviewers EVER, I decided to go much longer then I ever thought with this story. I am going to follow the entire story line of Naruto part one, and then MAYBE go into shippuden. (Tying in my fanfiction of course :D)

Thank you everyone! I'll update again SOON :D :D :D


	16. For A Very Long Time

PLEASE excuse the fact that this chapter is totally mushy/angsty/emo. (In the beginning) I was feeling down when I wrote this, so it made it easy.

* * *

Was it possible to actually, (because I know some people claim,) drop dead on the spot, without anything physical affecting you?

I might have. My brain felt like it was totally possible, but the fact that Sasuke was keeping me upright in his tight hug prevented that.

Sasuke's arms loosened and dropped to his sides, and I stumbled to keep my balance. I had been depending on his arms.

He abruptly turned around but didn't move. He probably didn't want to look me in the face. I knew exactly what he would say next.

"There. It's wrong. I know. You hate me. I know." He ground out. "I'm sick. I'm a freak. I know."

Here Sasuke was. He told me he was in love with me, and I was him. He was saying all these horrible things about himself, and I hadn't said anything yet. I wasn't sure what to name the emotion. I was in shock that he actually, (Despite my theories from earlier,) DID feel that way about me. But I was also happy, thinking everything would work out. I was also slightly hysterical, knowing I might cry. I was beginning to be such a wuss. But at least it wasn't because I was sad.

Nothing came to mind to say that was good enough. So instead, I stepped closer to him and fixed my arms around his waist, pushing against his back.

I must have surprised him, because he grabbed my hands, spun back around, and in doing so pulled my arms off him. "Naruto?" He asked.

I stayed quiet.

"You don't hate me? You aren't going to laugh?"

Oh screw it. "Hate you?" I felt my eyes water. "I love you." I put as much emphasis on love as possible.

We stood still for a long time, awkwardly. He still had a hold on my hands. After what seemed more like a life time then thirty seconds, he said, "Really?"

"I thought I was being too obvious." I said, emphasis on I. My voice was cracking.

Another few seconds passed, and I couldn't take us just standing there. I nearly knocked him over, wrapping my arms around him and pushing my head underneath his chin. Shaking all the while. "Yes, Teme! I love you!"

Maybe I DID knock him over. Then I realized he had just dropped, sliding to sitting and taking me with him. He shifted me more into his lap and pulled me closer. A mutual understanding and realization instantly for between us. He believed me. "Why didn't you tell me that?" He whispered against my hair, which he was resting his head on.

"Wh-Why do you think I d-didn't?" I choked out. "If I to-told you, and you hated me, I ca-cu-couldn't live like that!" I felt tears slide down my cheeks and pressed my head more into his neck.

"But I'm always so horrible to you. How could you love a jerk?" He rubbed circle patterns on my back, obviously feeling the tears.

"I d-don't love you because you're a jr-jerk." I whispered, unable to cry. "I love you because…" I sniffed in between pauses. "Because you're calm, smart…You always protect me. I admire you because you're strong…I've seen the side of you that I love! I want to help you, Sasuke! You're the only equal to…ever understand me! I feel like I understand you!"

"Sh…" He kissed the top of my head. "You do understand me. I don't care if you're annoying. I've never felt so responsible for taking care of anyone in my life. You're kind and brave. You persevere in everything. I just love you, for a million reasons more I can't explain."

I swallowed, feeling better.

I felt the relief of knowing that this was okay. This was right. Everything I had thought was a problem had lead me to one of the best things that had ever happened. From the staring, to the considering, the admiring, the loving, and then being loved back. They say the broken road always leads to good things.

"I wanted to tell you," He said suddenly. "A while ago. When you told me about the Kyubbi, and about the people…doing those things to you…I knew what I could do to end it. But I knew about my feelings, and I knew if I told you, it would be too awkward and you wouldn't consider it…" He rambled on.

Finally I interrupted. "Tell me what?"

"I thought that, if you stayed with me, no one would ever know where you were. You'd never be hurt. I live alone, in the Uchiha district where no one but me ever goes. You'd be safe if you stayed with me." He answered.

Safety. Not having to live in fear my whole life sounded amazing. "Can I?" I asked.

"Yeah. I don't want those people to ever hurt you again."

I blushed and grinned. "I told Iruka I thought you were gorgeous." It was random, but I had to say it. "You are."

He smirked, I knew he did even though I couldn't see it. "Iruka knows?" He inquired. "So does Kakashi. He's been helping me." He admitted. "I told him I thought you were irresistibly adorable."

"Iruka's been helping me, too." I looked up at him, and we stared at each other.

"Those bastards," We said at the same time.

"I'm sure they knew all along!" I whined. "How could he not tell me!?"

"How could he not tell me?" He said as well, more emphasis on me.

I sighed. Maybe he thought it better if we found out. We never continued that conversation. "Sasuke? Does this mean we're together? I'll always be with you? My whole life?"

His expression changed. His eyes lowered and his smile faded. "I don't know. It's not that I won't stop loving you," he added quickly, seeing my surprise. "My purpose in life will always be…Get up."

"Get up?" What the hell? His expression changed all at once again, now he was a complete blank. He stood up, pulling me up by the arm.

"Wipe your face and act natural." He remained blank. I did as I was told. He stepped more to the side of me.

Now I understood why. This would be a problem.

Sakura and Kakashi came back, and I realized Sasuke had sensed them coming just in time. Sakura looked tired, but otherwise fine. Kakashi didn't have any expression in his visible eye.

"So, who won guys?" Sakura asked on getting close enough.

We both looked at each other. I was about to say him since he had grabbed my arms and made me stop, but he immediately answered, "It was a tie. We were both victorious."

His careful wording made me get it. I didn't bother hiding my smile.

She blinked, surprised. She didn't say anything about that.

"Sasuke, Naruto. I need to talk to you two before you go. Sakura, you can head home." Kakashi said suddenly.

"Oh right, sure." She answered, then grinned at Sasuke. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sasuke!"

He didn't answer, just looked expectantly at Kakashi. He waited until Sakura was completely out of sight before speaking. "How have things been lately, for you too?"

I wanted to say, cut the crap. We know you know. "Things have been good, Sensei." I answered. Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"No problems? You've been quiet. Both of you."

I tensed and then relaxed. Sasuke grabbed my hand and held it. "No problems," He smirked, and Kakashi blinked in surprise.

"I see." He smiled. "Well, you're free to go."

He disappeared. "Damn it, Kakashi. Just you wait until tomorrow." Sasuke muttered.

"You were saying?" I asked, ignoring the fact he was gone involuntarily.

"Saying what?" He didn't sound like he had forgotten.

"Never mind." I guess. He obviously didn't want to talk about it.

"Hey, Naruto." I looked sidelong at him. "I love you as a person and as a ninja. But as a ninja, I'm still and always will be your rival." He smirked.

I smirked back. "Hell yeah, I knew that!" I did. That was the way I wanted it.

I knew now my depression wouldn't come back. Not for a very, very long time, if not forever.

* * *

The last statement is very untrue, Naruto :( Nobody say happy ending, because this definitely isn't the end :


	17. Mansion

Well, this is probably too much for an opening, anyway, but I feel as though my faithful subscribers need to see this :D (If they haven't already) It's an anonymous review on my last chapter.

Also, this chapter is kind of short an plotless :D

Review

..are you out of your mind? ... Just... what in the hell does any of this have to do with Naruto? Nothing... you can say you're using them as a proxy... but then all you're admitting is you didn't want to write about Naruto but you wanted to try and cookie-cut what you psychotically assume to be their character traits for yet another one of these trite, hackneyed 800 million of 'em yaoi fanfics. ...just go watch brokeback mountain already you useless waste of carbon. We could have thousands of good pencils, but instead we got you: a mutated monkey who mentally masturbates and gibbers at people instead of flinging it. I could further insult your intelligence, your writing (grammatical errors by the way and poor pacing), and a litany of other things but mostly I think I'll point out the obvious.. something you might've missed in your egress into yoursicko--in-the-head make believe world YOU ARE A LOSER. YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO YOUR PARENTS YOU DISGUST THEM, ME, AND EVERYONE ELSE YOU ARE HIDDEN ON THE NET BUT REPUGNANT TO ALL OTHERS AROUND YOU SAVE FOR OTHER DEVIANTS. Only other mentally challenged societal leaches will appreciate you... and only then because you serve as a false case to them that their own actions are okay. THEY'RE NOT. You're not okay. whine, , or whatever now... just dont ignore. Accept that you are not okay as you are. GET HELP.

First of all, he thought I was such a FUCK in the head as he says, a cuss word would bother me. So he put stars. I'm not afraid to say any of that.

Second of all, his grammar/spelling is wrong, so he shouldn't make fun of mine, although I do actually appreciate the fact he pointed out something I'm aware of, being the grammar. (Sarcasm)

and last but not least, if there are 800 million yaoi fics out there, why am I so BAD? He points it out himself that there are so many and so many people are doing it, so I must really be the worst of all.

I have TWO fan fictions on yaoi. One with more straight couples.

This is simply me writing what I want to write. If he had a problem with the couple, the fact that it was yaoi, or the way I portrayed it, he should have left his grammar criticism and been done with it.

I will NOT let anyone tell me what I am or what's right and wrong. He thinks me and all of the people supporting me, (Reading this fan fiction,) Have no minds and need mental help. He asked me to not ignore him, and then what does he do? Signs it anonymous.

This story will continue, and I WILL not let him take down my self esteem. This is fan fiction, and it was made so we could do whatever we wanted to twist up an original story line.

Thank you for listening to my rant :D I hope to see your opinions in reviews :D

* * *

It was around nine o' clock at night when we finally got back. I'd finally get to see his house.

"You're kidding me, right?" I asked.

"Uh no, I'm not." Sasuke answered, confused.

"And you live here alone?" If there was anything more ridiculous then his hair, which looked great on him and only him, it was his house. If house is what you could call it.

"There use to me more people in it," He said, understanding my point.

"Yeah, four! You live in a MANSION." I answered, still starring at the building in front of me. "It's HUGE!"

"My dad was the leader of the clan. He has a big house." His voice didn't have the same tone. I knew he was holding back more emotion. This whole subject was touchy. Very touchy.

"Well…yeah, anyway, can I see the inside?" I asked, trying to drop subject.

"Sure…Please don't break anything." He added after a short pause.

"Hey!" I yelled back. He didn't answer, we both knew I was clumsy.

Sasuke stepped forward onto his porch and opened the sliding door. I followed him in, and copied him when he stepped on his heels to take off his shoes. He left them more orderly then I did, mine strewn within a few feet of each other.

The inside, like the outside, was big and beautiful. However, it still had that eerie, ghostly feel to it. It was dusty, so much he must have never dusted it.

Not to mention, in the corner of my mind, it bothered me to be walking through a murder site.

Aside from the dust, his kitchen, sitting room, and bathroom on the lower floor were all unorganized. He showed me through all of them, and I noticed some clothes and even trash in places.

"Sasuke, are you secretly a house slob?" I asked.

He glared at me momentarily then said, "A little, I suppose. Like you're any better."

"Only when it comes to food." I replied, feeling high and mighty. I left expired food in the house, and had no means of organizing things that were un-refrigerated.

He showed me the backyard through another door on the side of the house, it wasn't very big, (I had expected much bigger, seeing his house,) but it was complete with a fountain.

Then suddenly he said, "The rooms are upstairs, but I'm not sure where you should sleep. There's my single bed in my room, and my parents room. I don't really want anyone in there."

I could understand that. I could also understand why he didn't even mention his brother's room. He had probably put boards over the door, or some other extreme. Went in and destroyed it, I don't know. Something.

"In a house this big, you're telling me you don't have a guest bed?" I asked.

He glared at me again, but then it quickly subsided to a smirk. "Yes, I am. You can sleep in my bed. I have a futon I can lay out on the floor." He said, causing me to shake my hands.

"Is that really nessic-" I started, but he cut me off.

"Yes, it is. Come upstairs."

The upstairs was a hallway that led straight out another door. This lead to an open air balcony on the side of the house, over looking the yard from earlier. I followed him all the way to the end of the balcony, passing three doors.

As I suspected, the second door we passed was boarded shut.

At the third door he stopped, opening it. His room was the most unorganized of all. Kunai, scrolls, and books lay scattered across his floor. His bed was on the back wall, centered. He had black sheets and two white pillows.

The bed was un-maid, too.

"Sasuke, in the morning I'm organizing your house. At least this room." I said, no questioning tone in my voice. "I can't believe supposedly perfect Sasuke is a slob." The smile could be heard in my voice.

"Be unorganized and being a slob are two different things." He said matter-of-factly.

"Sure. Whatever." I answered, shaking my head.

"I'll be right back." He said suddenly, leaving the room.

I looked at the floor. Why not start now? It was the least I could do since he intended to let me LIVE here.

I started with the scrolls, rolling them up and re-tying them. When I had collected the three unrolled ones from the floor, I went to his dresser to set them there.

I stopped, seeing something of interest. Our team seven picture, framed and in the center of his dresser.

I picked it up and sat on his bed, starring at the picture. My copy had been forgotten, probably pinned to a bulletin board or in a drawer. I didn't like it, or him, very much back then.

"What are you looking at?"

I jumped, hearing his voice right over my shoulder.

"Oh that. Don't you have one?"

"I got one," I answered. "But I don't know where it is. I'm surprised you actually kept it, and framed it, and put it where you could see it…" I trailed off. It didn't sound much like Sasuke at all.

He shrugged without much motion. "It has you on it."

The simple way he answered made me almost giggle, but I held back.

"Where'd you go?" I asked.

"To get that." He pointed at a futon that was now upright on his floor. I hadn't heard him come in and set it down, weird. It was a thin, smaller then twin mattress. It was white with a white sewn on pillow, and he brought up a blue blanket that he had thrown over it.

"Do you think something interesting will happen tomorrow?" I asked, totally off topic. I was walking around picking up the kunai knives and stacking the books.

"Maybe…Naruto, I just thought of something."

I finished picking up everything, then sat down on his un-maid bed. "Yeah, what?"

He sat on the futon at the floor. "When we're around Sakura, should we pretend to hate each other?"

I nearly cringed at the thought. Sakura was a complication. I knew Sasuke would willingly tell her off and tell her he was with me, but I didn't want to hurt my friend. She liked Sasuke a lot.

"Is pretending to hate each other possible?" I asked.

"Yes. We still argue and yell at each other. Even now. Well, not now, but when the need arises." He replied.

"If we slip up, we tell her. Otherwise, we just…act natural?" I offered.

"Act natural." He repeated.

I sighed, "Are you really going to sleep on that thing? You should sleep in your-" I started.

"Leave it alone, I'm fine." He cut me off. "But just incase something interesting happens," He used emphasis on interesting teasing me about earlier. "We should get to sleep. It's late. We can move your stuff over here later. I'll have a clean shirt for you in the morning, but you'll have to stick to your pants and jacket."

Totally inhuman sounding for Sasuke to be SPEAKING this much. It was weird, but I liked his voice and we weren't arguing. I can't complain.

And now, even more, I could see he actually had a personality. It was hard to tell before. Actually, not hard to tell, I had labeled him show-offy jerk. He still was, but he had a personality he showed me now that I had never seen.

"No problem!" I replied, unzipping my jacket. "I just won't sleep in it." I left it hanging on his bedpost.

He rolled over on his side. "One more thing, do you snore?"

I growled and said, "Like you don't?"

"Maybe I do." He replied. I could hear the smirk in his voice.

I organized the covers on his un-maid bed, then lifted them. Still totally awkward, but I didn't find my self much bothered by it. I rolled up in a ball underneath the sheets, and tested the pillow. It smelled like him.

"Hey Sasuke?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah?" He mumbled.

"Goodnight. I love you." It was still hard to say.

"I love you, too."

So, did I mention to leave reviews on your opinions of that guy?


	18. Nightmare

Bold-Dream

* * *

"**Where am I? Hello?" I called out in my dim surroundings. I couldn't see anything, and wondered why I wasn't in Sasuke's room.**

**Then it hit me, I was dreaming.**

"**Hey! Answer me!" The only time I couldn't hear Kyubbi was in my dreams. It was a corner of my mind that was locked and out of our mental range.**

**The dim, unable to see in surroundings were suddenly clear. I was outside somewhere, and it was very dark. I could see little, the moonlight was the only light source. **

**I was in the woods, deep into them It seemed. But nothing moved. Then I started to hear shouts, and wind began blowing.**

"**Hold it back!"**

"It's too strong! It'll destroy the-"

**It was all very faint, but I followed it to the source, It took a long time, before I felt the tremors. I knew I should have been feeling them a while ago, but they had not materialized in my dream until now.**

The ground shook and I lost my balance, falling on my butt. I heard loud roars, and screams of more people.

**  
Then it turned into a nightmare.  
**

**The screams were those of people right before they died, and the roars were coming from the beast killing them.**

**  
Kyubbi.**

**I was still far away from all of this, but I could still feel the earthquakes when he lifted a paw and slammed it back down. I could hear the screams as if they were next to me, an effect of the dream.**

"Kyubbi! Stop! NO!" I screamed at him, partially in the real world, partially in my head, so I might break through the mental barrier and speak to him, and partially in the dream.

**But he couldn't hear, much less the people. I was miles away.**

**  
I felt tears roll down my face, and voices fill my head. All more effects of the dream. I screamed again. "Kyubbi, NO! don't hurt anyone! STOP!"  
**

**Then I gasped an it was over, and the scenery changed. It was warm and bright. I looked at my hands and body, I was smaller. Younger. I was around seven years old, maybe.**

**The voices in my head were clear and rang loudly. **

"**He's nothing but a monster."**

"I don't see why we have to let him live."

"He killed all those people, horrible beast."

And as much as I wanted to think Kyubbi was the one who had did that, and it was just my body, I couldn't. I was harboring the creature with my body, that HAD killed all those people.

**  
It was like I was a monster, as they said.**

**  
The scenery changed again, and it was dark. I couldn't see anything. I tried to open my eyes, I thought they might be closed.**

**They WERE closed. They grazed against fabric. I was blindfolded.**

"**I don't care what lord Hokage says. We kill the monster now."**

**With those words, I forgot I was dreaming. I thought I was no longer in Sasuke's house, but back at my own home.**

**  
And the tormentors from before were ready to stop tormenting, and kill.**

**I screamed and cried, and I even managed, "Sasuke! Help me!" Even though it hurt my pride a fraction to do so.**

**  
"Not so tough now, are you?"**

I realized my arms were tied up, so I tried releasing Kyubbi's power.

In dreams, I couldn't. I had thought this was reality now, so I still couldn't form a link between us.

**I heard the footsteps now, then suddenly, someone grabbed my hair and pulled.**

"You're nothing but a monster, and no one loves you. No one ever will."

**That was Sasuke's voice.**

Then I screamed, ear-splitting,

And woke up.

I woke up in a cold sweat, panting. My face was wet with both sweat and tears. Sasuke was looming over me, starring with concern, then he noticed I woke up.

Remembering his voice in my dream, I blinked and held still, though my panting racked my body. I hope I still wasn't dreaming. The dream may have been a side effect of the fact I was in the house where Sasuke's parents were murdered.

Sasuke stroked one side of my face. "Calm down. It was just a dream. It's over. I'm here. It wasn't real…" He continued with his assurances, because I wouldn't calm down.

I don't think I had ever had a nightmare that bad.

I noticed when he got up, that he was kneeling on the bed in front of me. When he got up, I almost pulled him back, but just waited. He left the room, and came back a minute later.

He had a washrag dipped in cold water, an a glass of water. He kneeled back in front of me, and laid the rag against my forehead. He held out the water, and my hands shook when I reached for it. I shook harder when I tried to drink it. "Try to relax." He said gently, my panting starting to slow.

It took a long time for me to erase the thought of the dream, and for my breathing to be even. After I was calm, he let a while pass before he spoke.

"Are you okay now?" He asked first, gently removing the rag.

I nodded, then pulled my body out of the blankets. I was unbelievably hot and sweaty. More then anything I wanted to hug him, or something, but I would rather not overheat. I sat on m knees as well, facing him.

He probably caught on to the fact I didn't want to talk, so he did. "I heard you screaming. I've been trying to wake you up for a long time. It didn't matter what I did, you wouldn't stop."  
I just starred at him, unable to speak.

"You called my name a few times, and yelled for my help. You screamed amazingly loud and woke up."

I nodded. I tried to form words. "Sc-ary."

He reached behind me, and ran one hand up and down my back. "Try to tell me what happened."

I breathed in and out once, then I started to somewhat talk. "Kyubbi was killing people. Then they wanted to kill me. You-" I stopped. There wasn't any need to tell him.

He didn't egg me on to tell him, either. "Can you go back to sleep?"

"I don't know." I shook my head slowly. "I don't want to have another nightmare." I mumbled.

"I know. It's hard. After something happens, it haunts you forever. It's impossible to make it go away." He brought his hands higher, wiping my forehead some more.

I leaned into the touch, then eventually got off my knees and laid against him. "Stay up here." I mumbled. I thought if he was closer, I might not have the nightmares.

He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and flipped us over so we were both lying on our sides, facing each other. I snuggled closer, gripping the sides of his shirt. "Sure," He muttered in response.

It took me a while to fall asleep, the dream still fresh in my head, but Sasuke helped immensely.

Nothing to say but the usual thank yous!


	19. The Begining Of The End Of The Begining

So, this chapter is a time skip of sorts, but Naruto explains in some detail everything that happened and his feelings.

Also, thanks to some comments, I re-read this and altered A TON, but it's still probably HORRIBLE.

Also, the chapter title, I can explain! It's the beginning of all the crap that happens next, and it's also the beginning of the end, (Being Sasuke leaving??) And it's the beginning of the end of the beginning, because It's the start of everything leading up to Sasuke leaving, which is only the BEGINNING of the story!

Does that make sense? 0o

* * *

I was finally right about something Sasuke wasn't. Something interesting DID happen the next morning.

The Chunin exams were announced.

Over the course of the past few months, so many things happened.

Sasuke and I hadn't moved much in relationship. We still haven't gotten to the kiss on the mouth stage, I'm not sure why. Sometimes it's still weird, but I want to do more.

It started with the Chunin exams, like I said. The next day of normal, crappy training, we met three sand ninja, (Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari,) and wondered why they were there. This led up to Kakashi finally telling us that Genin were coming from everywhere for the Chunin exams. Then he said that he had enrolled us! Totally awesome!

Sasuke and I were doing an okay job of hiding our relationship from Sakura, and I think Iruka went crazy on me the first time I told him. He and Kakashi were both happy, and things were building up between them.

The first part of the Chunin exams was the written exam, which was freakishly hard. I made it through that, along with everyone else. All of the Genin from my class made it through.

Then when we reached the stage of the exams where we had to take scrolls through the forest of death. You could take scrolls from other players, but you had to make it through to the end with yours in tow.

We met that man again. The one who tried to kill us in Kakashi's assassination mission.

I got separated from Sasuke and Sakura, (and eaten by a snake! EW!) then when I found them again, he was there.

A battle between him and I with Kyubbi's chakra led to me being knocked out. There wasn't much more to it.

I don't know what happened after that. I got to see the effects when I woke up. I woke up after everything was over and we were back into the exam.

Sakura had all her long hair cut off short. Sasuke looked the same, but since then, he's been talking to Sakura more and more often. I hoped that was a good sign, since he was getting along with her. I had to wonder what they were talking about, though. As for Sakura's hair, how could that happen? She liked her long hair.

Anything could have happened when I was knocked out, but no one told me.

Then Sasuke went to the hospital. I still don't know why. He was absent for the next part of the Chunin exams, along with Kakashi.

I worried about him a lot. I had overheard Kakashi telling Sakura that everything would be just fine, but she didn't seem convinced.

Something seriously bad had happened. I was missing an important part of vital information.

We passed that part of the exam, and I knew bad things were starting to happen. Suspicious people and some sound ninja were there. The Hokage and some of the Jounin and exam leaders whispered to each other about things. I heard one of them Say something about Sasuke, but I couldn't hear what. It made me wonder.

During the next round, we had prelim battles. I made it through all of these, as well. Sasuke still hadn't come back. With the Chunin exams, I never got a chance to see him.

After the prelim battles, we had a huge chunk of time to practice and train. I went without seeing Sasuke, still. I hoped that when I saw him again, I could ask him just WHAT happened in the forest of death. He had gotten out of the hospital, and started training with Kakashi for the last round.

I wanted Kakashi to train me too, but he found another trainer, (That pervert Ebisu!) for me.

Then I met my current mentor, Jiriya. I mean, pervy sage. He was actually one of the legendary Sanin, and he offered to train me, after showing him my sexy jutsu. It was an odd friendship, and it just sort of…happened. He seemed to know some things about me, and I wondered why.

He taught me some chakra control and such. He was totally awesome and strong, and he promised to teach me a special technique that he had once taught the fourth Hokage. The fourth Hokage's jutsu! YES!

Then before I knew it, the last round was coming up.

The last round was a to the death elimination, (Or until someone gave up, or Genma called it off,) the last one standing after so many rounds would become Chunin. ONE Chunin out of that whole exam! Chunin could also be chosen by the Hokage during the matches.

In the middle of one of the matches, the ANBU squad that was watching sounded an alarm. Then things in Konoha started to unravel.

That man from the sound was back. There was more to him then just a powerful ninja, I knew.

I also worried that more things I was unaware of were going on. Maybe something to do with Sasuke. Something bad.

I found out about Gaara, too. The sand ninja we had met in the beginning.

Like me, he was a Jinchuruki. He housed the one-tailed Shakaku. Gaara was insane. He wanted to kill everyone on earth but himself.He went on a rampage, and Sakura, Sasuke, and I, finally back together, went after him. At the same time this happened, the third Hokage was fighting that sound Ninja.

During our fight with Gaara, Sasuke had weird, black marks on his skin. It put his whole body in pain, and he couldn't fight in the beginning, but got better.

I eventually defeated Gaara and saved them both. I feel quite accomplished!

But when we had defeated Gaara, the sound ninja had killed the third Hokage.

The third Hokage was dead.

There wasn't anything worse that could have happened. The sound ninja got away, and wasn't seen after that.

They had a funeral for him that the entire village attended. Everyone wore black cloaks and brought flowers. That was one of my best friends, Konohamaru's grandfather, and an important leader and inspiration to everyone in the village. When it was over, though, things seemed to lift in spirits.

The village was still a wreck, and without a Hokage, but things calmed down for awhile.

That brings me to the present. This is here and now, after the funeral.

Sakura, Sasuke and I were walking home. No one had spoke yet, and it stayed that way. Sasuke and I waited until Sakura had left and was out of complete sight before heading towards home.

We held hands, but didn't speak until we got back to the Uchiha district and in his house.

"You hungry?" He asked, lifting off the black cloak and before dropping it on the ground, (I glared) hung it up by his door.

"Yeah, kind of." I copied him and hung mine up.

At least what had happened to the Hokage didn't make anything gloomy. Maybe tense, but at least not upsetting.

Maybe now I could ask him about the forest of death and those black marks. I would wait it out, get through the rest of the day, and then ask.

The personality I had seen behind his jerky exterior was slowly fading. Not to give way to the bad things, but just disappearing. He was turning blank.

I wanted the Sasuke I fell in love with to be back. He had changed.

I thought maybe it had something to do with what happened with the black marks, but I couldn't be sure what those were from, or why they were there.

Then I thought of his brother. His revenge. He's still training to be stronger and stronger, but sometime soon in his life, he'll want to find him so he can kill him.

I wish his family never would have been killed, so this wouldn't be a complication. I want Sasuke to forget about his brother and his revenge, and just be happy.

"I moved most of your stuff excluding the furniture over. I took the instant ramen boxes from the kitchen. You should make some."

"We haven't seen each other in a while. At least, not without Sakura, and not with out someone wanting to kill us. How have things been?" I said it in a tone that made it seem like I was pointing out something obvious. Maybe I could make him tell me indirectly.

"Good. I've gotten pretty good with Kakashi training me," He answered, noticing the slight hostility and my voice, and making his sound better. "He's teaching me his chidori technique he used in the land of waves. Who's been training you?"

"This guy I met named Jiriya. He knows Kakashi, and knows a lot of stuff about me. He said he'd teach me some special jutsu, but I don't know what it is," I answered. "I'm probably going to head out to another town in the morning with him."

He stared at me for a moment then nodded. "I was just going to practice and train, anyway," He quickly changed subject. He walked past me and into his kitchen. "Come on, I always cook."

I smiled in spite of myself. "You're not telling me you want me to make you instant ramen are you!?"

"So what if I am?" He turned back to glare at me.

I laughed and ran in, "I'm going, I'm going!"

I never got to asking him about the black marks, or the Chunin exams, the rest of the day and night was too bright.

I always wanted things to be this way. But I didn't know, that tomorrow destinies would alter, and things would turn on us both completely. Bad things.

* * *

You all know what happens next, right? Well, wether you do or don't, I must warn you.

Sasuke will turn into an evil, power thirsty, sadistic bastard. (Even more then he already is --)


	20. Why Us?

Well CRAP. I had to watch this arc again, which happened very slowly, and got little time to write :( SORRY about the wait! But hey. It's my longest chapter yet!!

This would be a good example of a chapter I would like to write from Sasuke's point of view, because if you watch this episode, (83) Naruto was doing boring things. Sasuke was running around like mad and thinking about Itachi.

Also, this isn't…fan fiction like. There are teeny, tiny differences and some script change to what happened in the real episode, but it's basically me just following an episode, deepening Naruto's thought. It's very much so like re-writing an episode with twists. SORRY!

I know you're never supposed to start a sentence with 'and', but I'm just using it for artistic purposes. I see it a lot in professional books.

* * *

The danger I would face today was already here. I just didn't know it.

I woke up at around nine in the morning, an okay time for not having an alarm clock. I was in Sasuke's bed, alone. He had put the futon back in storage awhile ago. Since my horrid nightmare, we had always slept together.

Whoa, that sounded off. In the same bed, is what I meant.

I yawned, stretching similarly to a cat. I noticed paper on his nightstand, he left a note.

Went to training grounds early. I'll see you when you come back. Have fun with Jiriya. I love you.

I sat up to read it better, then stuck my tongue out at it. Later I would have to tell him that was totally lame. But I really didn't think that.

After a while of figuring out for the umpteenth time how to make his shower work, showering, and packing some essentials, I headed out to find Jiriya.

I found him near the gate out of Konoha. I had to ask, it was the first thing that popped into my head. "So Pervy Sage, what's this new jutsu?!"

"It's JIRIYA!" He growled automatically. "Now listen, the jutsu will take time and tons of training."

"But Pervy Sage-" I started.

"You really don't know who you're talking to when you say that!" He yelled. "I'll have you know, I'm one of the three legendary Sanin!"

I blinked for a moment. "I knew that, Pervy Sage! If your so awesome, why did you pick me to be your student? Do I have lots of potential?" I asked, grinning. "Come on, tell me!"

"Well actually, the fourth Hokage was once my student. You bear such a striking resemblance it's hilarious."

"I'm like the fourth?" I asked. "I'm closer then I thought!"

He growled, "The only thing you share is spiky blonde hair and pigheadedness! Now be quiet and listen!

He explained to me we were headed to an outpost town a ways from the main village. He said we would be traveling a while, and we could spend the night there after training. The rest of the day went on with us arguing and me annoying him. Then in the late afternoon, he saw a pretty girl (perv,) and told me to go up to the hotel room he had rented, practice for awhile and sleep.

Like I could sleep this early.

I still didn't know it. I still didn't know that within the next half hour, my life, and Sasuke's life, would take a horrible turn.

I trained on focusing my chakra to different parts of my body with my clones, but they fell asleep. "When did you guys decide it was nap time?" I asked sarcastically.

Then someone knocked. Twice, very quietly.

"Huh?" I leaped off the bed. "Did she dump you already?"

Three more knocks. Quicker this time.

"I'm coming, geez." I dashed towards the door, and started scrambling with the lock. "Just let me unlock it…"

I still didn't know, and I was opening my door to it.

I got the lock but the door didn't budge, so I pulled it open myself.

And I froze where I was. The next thing I saw surprised me so much, I gasped out loud.

Not Jiriya. Sasuke? Not Sasuke. I thought that at first, seeing his eyes. But he was a lot taller. Then when I took more of the sight in, older. His hair was lighter then Sasuke's, yet still black. He was wearing a long black cloak, high enough in the neck so you couldn't see his mouth. But he had those same, bloody red, Sharingan eyes. He had to be an Uchiha.

But unlike Sasuke, he scared me. I knew nothing about him and he had done nothing, but he scared me. I couldn't move, either.

"Hard to believe such a child houses the nine tailed." Two footsteps was all it took to reveal another figure. He was wearing the same black cloak, which I noticed had red, white lined cloud patterns on them.

But he was completely different. His skin was pale blue and his hair was styled like mine but shorter, a dark blue color. He had a sword nearly, if not the same as Zabuza's. Huge. He was probably a foot and a half taller then the one with Sharingan.

And they knew about Kyubbi. How did they know about that? Only the adults in the village, me, and Sasuke knew about it, I thought.

"Naruto, you're coming with us." The first one's voice sounded something like Sasuke's, even. Both his and Sasuke's voice were deep and fluid, and hid some kind of threat under every word.

I gasped again but didn't move. He knew my name. In any other situation, I would have fought and showed off, (even if I had to resort to Kyubbi,) and escaped. I wouldn't have been going through with this. But something about him, something about him made me unable to move. Made me scared. Horrified.

"Why don't we take a walk?" He stepped to the side a ways, and maybe involuntarily, I stepped out into the hallway. I couldn't think of much else to do. Had I not moved, they could have done anything.

"Itachi, we wouldn't want this kid running off. Maybe I should cut off a leg, so he can't get away." I took a step back, but that made me shake, so I stayed still. His name was Itachi.

Itachi didn't answer, just kept his unemotional mask.

"Right," The taller one said, lifting his huge sword.

Oh god, why won't my legs work?

_Kit, Move!_

I can't!

_  
What do you mean you can't?! I told you to move!  
_

The sword got half way through the air, and Itachi spoke, stopping him.

"It's been awhile." He paused, and I looked around, all but behind me of course, refusing to take my eyes away from them. "Sasuke."

I still couldn't turn, but I knew he was here. Itachi knew Sasuke from somewhere.

The rest of the events were complicated.

After little conversation, I knew why things would change so dramatically. This man who scared me, was Sasuke's brother. The one he lived only to kill.

Maybe that wasn't so bad, but I later realized that I was wrong. I thought maybe Sasuke would be able to put up a good fight. He did. But Itachi was immensely powerful. He shook Sasuke off like he was nothing. I got to see him use Chidori like he had said, and it looked like he had already mastered it. Cool and as powerful as it looked, Itachi stopped it like it was an overly slow punch. Then he broke Sasuke's arm.

Every time I tried to help him, he'd just yell at me to stay away. He wanted revenge, and he wouldn't be satisfied if he couldn't do it himself. It was infuriating.

Despite how Sasuke tried to get his attention, all he got was beat up. All Itachi seemed interested in was me.

But why me? I didn't even know him.

At one point I tried to help Sasuke, but the taller one, (who by more conversation I learned was named Kisame,) stopped me. He came close to slicing me again, but then Jiriya came.

Itachi had used his Sharingan, (god only knows how much you could do with it,) and hypnotized a woman to get Jiriya away from me.

Still, why me?

And why Sasuke? Why did it have to be us? Him to be put through all of this, and me to be captured?

Then Itachi explained. His organization, Akatsuki, whoever they were, had ordered him and Kisame to capture me. They wanted Kyubbi. I was like a super weapon to them.

Jiriya threatened to kill Itachi and Kisame, but Sasuke had other plans. Shaky and with a broken arm, Sasuke told Jiriya to stay away, and he did.

Itachi still wasn't interested, but continued beating up Sasuke anyway. One of his kicks sent Sasuke flying towards the end of the hall, and into the concrete wall. He could have broken bones in his back.

I tried to help him more, but he didn't want it. I stood and watched, grinding my teeth together.

This was the worst part.

Sasuke still hadn't had enough, even after being thrown into the wall. Itachi granted what he wanted, and proceeded to slaughter him.

Jiriya had to hold the collar of my shirt. I growled and trembled. I wanted to make him stop so much.

With a stream of powerful, scream causing punches, Sasuke's neck cracked and his ribs broke. He was bleeding from the throat and nose. He finally had enough, dropping to the ground.

When he had enough, Itachi hadn't. He lifted him off the ground, slamming him against the wall. I couldn't see what was happening, but Jiriya still didn't let go.

A minute passed, and I thought for a few terrifying seconds, Sasuke was dead.

He wasn't dead. Someone dead couldn't scream that loud. He screamed three times as loud as I had in my dream. He did it over and over again.

Kisame said something I couldn't hear, but I really couldn't hear anything but screaming.

Fed up, I ripped away from Jiriya, and bolted across the hall towards Sasuke. I passed Kisame, who was about half a second behind me when he pursued.

No, I had no idea what I would do.

Itachi turned, and I caught glance of Sasuke. He had stopped screaming. Then my feet got stuck in something, and neither I nor Kisame could move.

Jiriya had summoned a jutsu that made the walls and the ground sticky. Leaving Sasuke to be swallowed by the wall, Itachi and Kisame tried to run and escape. They were out of my line of sight when I heard something similar to an explosion.

Jiriya chased after them, and I followed him. We reached the end of the hall way, and sure enough there was a hole through the wall. They were gone. Surrounding the hole they had made were pitch black flames, which I got too close to so Jiriya yelled at me.

He sealed the flames in a scroll, and then said, "Now Sasuke."

As Jiriya's wall's deteriorated, then began to disappear, Sasuke started to fall.

"Sasuke!" I dashed over towards him, he didn't answer. I caught his fall and lowered him more smoothly to the ground, setting him up against the wall. I kneeled in front of him.

I had expected it, but he was completely unconscious. I thought maybe the pain sent him in to shock, but it wouldn't have knocked him unconscious that quickly. His eyes were open but glazed, and he was still bleeding from the mouth.

Then I froze, a kunai flying in between Jiriya and I.

In the most graceful, (or ungraceful, it's more opinionated,) way possible, someone I hadn't expected at all appeared and kicked Jiriya in the face. Gai-Sensei.

After stopping Jiriya's one nose bleed not from perverseness, and Gai apologizing, we were back to the situation.

"Get Sasuke to the medical core." Jiriya ordered.

"Right," Gai replied.

"His left arm and rib's are broken. He also suffered, perhaps extreme, psychological damage from an eye technique." He explained.

"Pervy Sage," I asked, leaning to look closer to Sasuke. I wanted to do more, but I didn't need either of them to know about my feelings. "Is Sasuke…Going to be okay?"

"Physically yes, but I'm not so sure about the mental damage. That could do as much as kill him, or as little as keep him out for an hour. I don't know." He answered.

Remembering the scene from earlier, I wasn't surprised that man had killed his clan. He was unbelievably powerful, and I was afraid of him. Now I realized more and more, I wasn't afraid, I was furious. First reason being he was the cause of Sasuke being in so much pain, and I don't mean just from today. He's the one Sasuke seeks revenge on.

The reason I can't drag Sasuke away from his hate. This whole encounter was a reminder for Sasuke.

Another reason being, they wanted me. No, they wanted Kyubbi. I knew how powerful I was, and up until now, had not known villainous people would desire my power.

"What…What did that bastard do to Sasuke?" I growled. "He never did anything to deserve this! I'll admit I was really scared back there, but I'm not now! Next time I'll kill them! They want me, don't they?! I'll happily go to them!"

Jiriya sounded annoyed. "If you follow them, all you'll get is killed. You're much too far apart. It was hard just getting them away from you."

"Are you suggesting I hide from them forever!?" I screamed back.

"Shut-up for a moment!" He yelled, his patience lost.

I did shut-up, and turned my head.

"You're weak." I shook at the words, but kept quiet. Instead of saying I was lower then they were, he came out with the truth. I was weak. Compared to them, him, almost everyone in the village, and maybe only better then the girl Genin in my graduating class.

"I'm sorry Gai," He changed subject. "I took the boy's feelings into consideration, but I should have stepped in sooner."

"Kakashi…Suffered from the same technique earlier this morning." He said. The last part was rushed.

"Kakashi, too!?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Oh, come look at this, for a moment." Jiriya motioned to Gai to come down the other hall and see the wall. Maybe if he had seen the eye technique, he could have seen the black flames as well.

I had only an adult-sized conversation's time alone. Adult sized conversations were small.

"You reckless idiot," I knew Sasuke couldn't hear me, but I spoke quietly to him anyway. "You should have given up before things got this far."

I almost said, I wish you would forget about Itachi, revenge…but that sounded like saying forget about your ambition. Ironically he couldn't hear me. The talking was for my benefit.

But I did want him to forget. It was more or less selfish, but I wanted him happy. To always be here. I wondered if this reminder would have a big impact. Unfortunately, even though I didn't know it, it would.

"If you die, I'm never going to forgive you. Or Itachi." I mumbled. I kissed the side of his face, mostly again for my own benefit. I wish he was conscious enough to know.

"Now hurry, I told you what I had planned. If his training goes well, and she cooperates, this won't take more then two months or so." I heard Jiriya's voice ring louder, coming back. I got up to my feet, wondering, she who?

"She?" I asked. "She who? What are we doing?"

"Going to find someone to fix up Sasuke," Jiriya answered. "Another of the three legendary Sanin. Tsunade. While we search, I'll teach you that jutsu."

I nodded smiling. "Okay…but I heard you say two months."

"I don't know where she is, and your training will be extremely difficult." He answered.

Two months without Sasuke.

Minutes later we were outside of town. Gai had the unconscious Sasuke over his shoulders. "I'll get him back to Konoha, I'm sure he'll be just fine." Gai assured, mostly me since I was starring at him.

"And we'll find this Tsunade person," I answered. "No question!"

We went separate ways, waving. Jiriya and I started down the path further away from Konoha. We walked for a few minutes in silence, and then he said loudly, "I saw that."

"Saw what?" I asked defensively, dreading the answer.

"You can tell me your feelings. I won't judge you."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" I growled back.

"Are you really going to make me say it out loud?" He asked, annoyed.

"Yes! Because I have no clue-"

"I saw you kiss him, why were you hiding it?" He asked, sincerely, but I was too embarrassed to notice.

"Because that's weird!" I answered. "Especially for a girl perv like you! How would you-" I started.

"Well master pervert or no, I've never had a relationship in the course of love with anyone. I'm on the outside looking in, and things like that don't bother me. I don't see why other people make such a big deal about it." I knew he was referring to the people in love, not the people observing.

Why did I make such a big deal about it?

He cleared his throat, "Gai saw too," His voice was more joking.

"You guys SUCK." I muttered.

* * *

P.S. Thanks for all of the support about the idiot from earlier :D


	21. I'm Sorry

MORE TIME SKIP! But mostly because there is no Sasuke and that would be BORING D:

* * *

I've never done anything so physically demanding in my life.

My mind was divided into three sections, aside from the parts that made my body process. The sections were Sasuke, learning this technique, and finding this Tsunade person.

Sasuke. I worried about him the most. He must have woken up at some point, (I hope,) and it would be roughly two months before I would be home. It could be more, that was just Jiriya's estimate. I wanted to tell him I was okay. I wanted to know his reaction to Itachi. I wanted to know what was he doing. I wish I knew.

And this goddamn jutsu. It was totally awesome, I had seen Jiriya do it to stop some thugs when we were hanging out around town. But it was single handedly the hardest thing I've ever tried to learn.

As for Tsunade, well, I don't know anything about her, and Jiriya's descriptions of her make her sound like a old witch. Aside from the fact he said she was young looking. She was as old as he was, but she had formulated a jutsu to keep her youth.

Also, Jiriya seemed so engrossed in finding her, I thought it must be for more reason then to help Sasuke and Lee.

Over the course of only one month, way too much happened to take in and explain in full detail.

The main points are we found this Tsunade girl, that sound ninja came again, and Jiriya informed her the village needed her as the fifth Hokage.

This girl the fifth! She didn't even want the job, and she didn't deserve the title either.

As for that sound ninja, his name was Orochimaru. I found out thanks to Jiriya and Tsunade both.

Orochimaru had been wounded when he fought the third. His arms were paralyzed, and went into a rotting state. Tsunade, being a master medical ninja, could heal them. She knew Orochimaru was bad, but Orochimaru had asked her to heal his arms, and the reward would be his forbidden jutsu to bring back Tsunade's little brother and love. They had died previously.

She may have gone through with the deal, had Jiriya, Shizune, (her maidservant and cousin,) and I not told her otherwise.

Kabuto and Tsunade fought, and protecting her, I mastered my jutsu. I could make a clone to produce the jutsu in my hand. Rasengan.

In the end, Orochimaru got away, and Tsunade accepted her position as Hokage. She even promised to help Sasuke, Kakashi, and Lee. (While still keeping her snobby, bitchy personality in check,) She really was alright. She even told me to keep believing, and become Hokage!

But really, Orochimaru…He must want Konoha bad. Or maybe something else…

There were more twists and ties to that story, but it's pointless to tell.

In the present, Tsunade, Shizune and I were headed to the infirmary in the hospital, like she had promised.

We found Sasuke's door open, and she stepped in.

I drew back slightly for a moment. I hadn't seen him in a long time, and I wondered if he would be alright. Sane.

"Can I come in?" She asked, though she had already entered the room.

"Uh…Who are you?" I expected it, Sakura's voice. If Sasuke was awake, I felt bad for him.

I followed her in, and realized I would have better things to feel bad for him over.

Sasuke was still unconscious. I knew he wasn't asleep. Our loud voices would have roused him if he was asleep. All that time, and he never had regained consciousness.

He had never been able to thought process about Itachi coming, and though he would remember, I still had awhile.

"Hey Sakura, Sasuke will be fine! Tsunade can help him!" I told her.

"Can you?" She asked, a hint of desperation in her voice. She must have been with him most of the time.

"I'll see what I can do," Tsunade replied, smiling. Then she closed her eyes in concentration, moving towards Sasuke. She lifted her hand above him, holding it a centimeter or two from his forehead. Then emerald colored chakra poured from her hand, letting out a low, hardly noticeable buzzing.

It took a few minutes, and Sakura and I got anxious, yet Tsunade seemed to stay focused. Then abruptly, she moved her hand.

"Uu…N…" Sasuke's eyes twitched and he shook his head back and forth. The his eyes fluttered open and he stared up blankly before shakily pushing himself to set up.

"Sasuke!" I cried, and Sakura did the same thing. She stepped forward and tossed her arms around him, but he didn't budge.

His eyes were glazed as before, but he seemed more alert. He had a blank expression, too.

He was probably taking it all in.

Sakura stayed latched on, but he didn't seem to care. He was watching the wall directly behind her. He hadn't noticed me. That was good.

It hit me when Sakura wouldn't let go, and she started to cry, that it wasn't a fair secret to hide from Sakura. She liked, loved, whatever, Sasuke too much. Keeping it a secret only made it harder for all three of us.

I backed up a few steps, turned, and motioned towards Tsunade. "You've still got two more!" I reminded her.

After doing the same as she had for Sasuke to Kakashi, (with much more lecturing,) and disappearing to look at Lee, I went back to Sasuke's room. He was sitting up further, and his legs were out of the sheets. He was sitting on the edge of one side of the bed. Sakura headed home. She had been here a long time.

A few seconds passed. I sat in the chair next to the side of Sasuke's bed. This way, we were sitting across from each other. "You're such a wreck. You go to the hospital way too much!" I said in a bright voice.

"Where is he?" Sasuke said it so quietly I couldn't hear.

"Sasuke?" I asked.

"Where? Where is he?" He said louder.

I knew who he was referring too, so I refrained from asking. "He's long gone. You've been out for nearly a month." I answered. I was happy it hadn't been two.

His expression got angrier. "He's gone?"

I nodded.

"He could have taken you. He wanted to take you." Sasuke ground out between gritted teeth. "Away. From me. I didn't know…If you were…"

_Something is wrong with him, kit._

_  
What do you mean?_

_That other Uchiha…It's because of him. Sasuke's aura is obsessive. Crazy._

_Sasuke wants to kill him. Itachi killed his clan and family._

_Now he wants you._

_Huh?_

Now that he's taken Sasuke's family, the fact that he wants to take you away is probably pushing Sasuke over the edge. He knows he'll be after you.

_The most important thing to Sasuke is his revenge._

_  
Not you._

I snapped out of Kyubbi and my conversation. "But they're gone! I'll be just fine!"

"He wants you." Sasuke hissed, fisting the sheets underneath him.

_You're right, Kyubbi._

"Calm down…" I tried. "I'm here…and he's gone, so…"

"That's the point! He's gone! I couldn't kill him!" He yelled, then he slapped his hand to a spot between his neck and right shoulder. "I have to get stronger!"

"Sasuke…Sh, we're-" In a hospital, is what I might have said, but he seemed to calm down a bit. He dropped his hand. "Does you're neck hurt?"

"A little. But it's fine." He answered, his body didn't un-tense.

"I'm sorry that happened," I began. "But you don't have to kill him…You could always just forget about reven-"

It was definitely the wrong thing to say, at the wrong time.

"What did you say, Naruto!?" He snarled.

"I didn't say-" I started.

"Don't ever say that again. Ever." He demanded.

I swallowed and nodded. "O-okay."

I stared across from myself at him, but he was looking down. This lasted for a few moments. Then I stood up, took a step forward and put my hands on top of his, which were fisting the mattress cover. "I'm sorry, Sasuke."

A few more long moments passed, and his hands slowly uncurled. Once they had relaxed, he lifted them over my shoulders and pulled me against him.

"I know. But I'm not."

* * *

THINGS ARE GETTING BAD :O


	22. Bite

Extreme alteration to the main story line, but at least now it's more FANFICTION like, it was starting to lack that…Sorry for lack of update! I just got three beta requests. This weekend is my stay away from Hannah and let her write mode weekend XD

* * *

I know it's impossible to make a person forget about there family being murdered. I didn't want that. If it happened to me, I would never be the same.

But there was probably no person on earth bent on avenging that murdered family like Sasuke was.

Sasuke got out of the hospital with only slight weakness to the legs. Sometimes he would shake when he stood still, but his body had recovered quickly.

His physical condition probably hadn't even crossed his mind, however. It was weird, but he watched me like I was his child that might get kidnapped.

That wasn't too far off. I didn't know where Itachi was now.

It was later at night when the hospital let Sasuke go. Past dinner, but we ate since we hadn't yet. He probably hadn't eaten real food for a long time, anyway.

I started thinking about what may have happened during the Chunin exams. Right now, I should be considering other things, but I still felt like I was missing something vital. I never found out where the black marks on Sasuke's skin came from during battles.

Maybe the missing time frame from the exam and the marks on his skin were tied together. They DID start happening after I woke up.

But how did they get there? That was what I was missing. Despite the tension, I decided to ask him.

I was in his room, for once not needing organized, and he had just came back from taking a shower. His hair was dripping wet, and he had more comfortable clothes on.

"Um…Sasuke?" I asked, trying to make it sound like I wasn't actually interested. I was sitting on his bed, and he was toweling his hair.

"Hn?" He still had a tense tone of…well, he hadn't spoken, so tone of copyright monosyllabic sounds. He hadn't loosened up since the hospital.

"Remember when I was knocked out, back during the Chunin exams?" The last part came out rushed.

He stopped the circular motion of the towel, looked up, and nodded.

"Actually, forget that," I said, thinking of something better.

"You're hiding something." He muttered. "You're twiddling your fingers."

I looked at my lap, and I was. Damn, I was as bad as Hinata. I laid one on top of the other, and kept them still. "Where did those black marks you get come from?"

He nearly dropped the towel. I must have caught him off guard. Lying won't work. Now he has to tell me, or not tell me. "Why do you care?" He practically breathed it.

"Why do you THINK I care?" I answered, feeling more confident.

"I'm not telling you," He concluded, continuing with the towel.

I breathed out instead of yelling, and asked, "Why not?"

"It's not your concern." He answered simply.

"But it was painful, I've seen them! What are they from?" I begged.

"I can't tell you," He changed from I'm not to I can't. I must have hit a nerve. "So stop asking."

I was probably hitting below the belt, and it was probably another bad move, but it could work. "Sakura will tell me."

He stopped again, this time throwing the towel at the laundry pile in the corner. I couldn't clean that, he said he just did it when he needed clothes again.

"Why do you care?" He asked again.

"Because…I have a bad feeling. I feel like I missed something, something vitally important. Lately," I felt a new conversation coming on. "You've been so obsessive! Ever since we met Ita…chi," I almost didn't finish because his eyes got narrower. "You've been acting hostile! To me, and to everyone else! I know it's because you want to kill Itachi and you couldn't, but it has to be more than that! So tell me why!" My voice broke near the end.

His angry expression didn't change this time. He didn't even flinch. "I love you. But you're a flyspeck of importance to me when it comes to him."

The worst part was the words, against his expression. I stood up, and dashed to his closet, without second guessing. I pulled out my jacket and my headband. "I'm going to Iruka's." I lied, because that wasn't what I was going to do. But I still seemed convincing, or rather, was convincing, because I was extremely upset.

"Sure." His tone didn't change, and he stayed unmoving.

Minutes later, I was out of his house, district, and on my way to Sakura's.

I wish Itachi was never born.

Besides her frequent talking to Sasuke, our bond had gotten better. She respected me more, in the sense I wasn't just an annoyance. She seemed to care. She was my best friend, (Sasuke being boyfriend AND best friend, automatically higher,) and I couldn't deny that.

But even now, I hope me coming by her house in the middle of the night wouldn't throw off my entire plan.

I walked a ways, and it wasn't until I reached the door of her house that I realized it was late, I had no means of weaponry with me, and Itachi was after me. Any other time I wouldn't have worried, but I didn't have anything that would even stand a chance against Itachi.

I swallowed and knocked, three times, loudly. Some time passed before she opened the door.

"Yeah, who's-Naruto? Is something wrong? it's really late…" Sakura started as she opened the door. She had a nightgown on. She had perhaps been asleep, but this was worth it.

"Sakura, I need to talk to you. I think the ramen shop is open for another hour. DON'T think of this as a date, it's serious."

She blinked, surprised. "Uh…I'm kind of…" She started, looking at her attire.

"Please?" I asked.

"Um…" She must have seen my desperation. "I'll be right back."

"Yes! Thank you, Sakura!" I called as she went back inside. Two minutes later, she came back in a shirt and pants, probably unwilling to dress any more complicated.

When we were at Ichiraku's, I bought two bowls, but she never touched hers. I ate occasionally, but I really just wanted to talk.

"So what was so important you had to wake me in the middle of the night?" She asked, seeming concerned.

I figured it would be easier to just flat out ask. "Sakura, what happened when I was knocked out during the Chunin exams?"

Her expression flashed from relaxed to startled. "Sasuke told me never to tell you, but-" The words spilled instantly.

He didn't want me to know. It had to be bad.

She flicked a strand of rose colored hair behind her ear nervously. "This is all because of that Orochimaru."

Orochimaru. Missing piece filled.

"When we were in the Chunin exams, after you passed out-" She began. I was surprised she told me so willingly. She must have been worrying about it too, but didn't want Sasuke to hold a grudge against her. "Sasuke fought with Orochimaru. He was winning, and Orochimaru did a jutsu so we couldn't move. He-" She surprised me, leaning over to eat some of the ramen. I did the same.

"-He bit him. Kind of like a vampire, but he didn't take any blood." She stated quickly, seeing me drop my chopsticks. "He left a weird black mark on Sasuke's neck…and he started to scream. He was in a lot of pain, and he had a bad fever. He passed out, and that's how everyone else got there. They were trying to help me fight off some sound ninja, and then-" Her expression got worse. She paused for a while.

"Then what?" I inquired.

"Then Sasuke regained consciousness. His entire chakra flow had been altered, and he had those black marks on his skin. They came from that bite…on his neck."

His neck. Today at the hospital, he grabbed his neck like was in pain.

"But more then just that power…" She continued. "Something was wrong with his eyes. Not like the sharingan, but…It was like he was insane. You've seen it." She added. "He gets so obsessed." She shook her head sadly. "The power, the energy, the darkness…It was incredible. We could all feel it radiating off of him."

My vital piece of information I had longed for had finally come. But what Sakura didn't understand was that Sasuke wanted that power, and Orochimaru…

"I ran into Orochimaru, too." I mumbled, shoving the bowl away.

"You did? Where?" She asked, suddenly interested.

"When I was with pervy sage. He was bidding with Grandma Tsunade. He took her and pervy sage on at the same time. He was incredibly powerful." I breathed.

"This isn't good." She muttered, sadness saturated her voice.

"Don't worry!" I assured her, and she looked at me surprised. "Sasuke wouldn't give into that guy! He doesn't need help! He can get strong without him!" I really believed that he wouldn't. He knew he would be betraying the village, loosing his freedom, and leaving me all at once.

She smiled weakly, but she didn't seem to believe it. She must have known more then I did. But I didn't doubt it. "Thanks Sakura, sorry I woke you up for that."

She nodded. "No problem. Can I leave now?" She asked playfully.

"Yeah," I left a tip on the counter, because the store was starting to close up. "I'm going to go home."

She waved, and began walking towards home. I waved too, and as usual, waited until she couldn't see me before I began walking back to the Uchiha district. I sort of regretted leaving, but it's not like he wouldn't let me come back.

The only doubt in my mind, was that is for some miraculous reason Sasuke DID want his help, Orochimaru only wanted one thing.

Vessel bodies.

* * *

Oh god, if you don't know what comes next, I feel BAD for you. Normal Thank you's!


	23. Goodbye

Well crap. My updates just get slower and slower, huh? Sorry! Anyway, beware of this chapter!

I guess I wasn't thinking. I never took into deeper thought or consideration the rest of the night. Maybe I was tired. But in the morning, I would realize all of my mistakes.

When I got back, his house was dark. He was nowhere in sight on the first floor. It made everything eerier.

I would regret being so naïve.

I trudged up the stairs, calling, "Sasuke?" But I didn't get any answer.

I walked across the balcony, starring at the ground below. When I reached his room, the light was on. But he wasn't there.

I mostly wanted Sasuke to forgive me, and I wanted to take his mind off of Itachi, without mentioning it. Maybe he wouldn't.

I saw a note similar to the one Sasuke left the day Itachi came on the nightstand. I picked it up and read it. His hand writing was messy, and there were erase marks, like maybe he had a lot more on there. Then he rewrote it.

Went training. Goodbye, Naruto.

I slapped it back down on the nightstand. "Sure," I muttered. I pulled my jacket off, and hung it up in his closet. Then I changed into night clothes.

I crawled into his bed, assuming he would be back when he had finished training. The fact that he already took a shower tonight may have crossed my mind, but I didn't take it into much consideration.

_The Uchiha isn't here?_

Nope. He's out trainning.

_Why so late?  
_

_Shut up, I'm tired. He can handle himself._

_  
_I probably should have been listening to Kyubbi, too. But he did stop, and I fell into deep sleep, dreaming about Itachi dying brutally.

I woke up to bright light and loud knocking. So loud, I could hear it from upstairs. I knew it was on the door. Maybe Sasuke locked himself out or something.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." I called. Like they could hear me. I dashed down the stairs, nearly falling. I still had bed hair and pajamas, but that didn't phase me.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, and was about to open the door, I remembered Itachi.

Maybe I was just being paranoid, but I opened the door only an inch to look.

It was the last person I had expected to see.

"Shikamaru, What are you doing here?" I gawked.

"I should be asking you that." He looked over my shoulder.

Oh crap. In pajamas and everything. "Uh…I'm living with Sasuke. Kakashi ordered us to, so we would get use to working together. We argue a lot."

He stared more seriously at me. He made a point the wasn't joking. "Well, I came to inform you Sasuke's gone."

I tilted my head. "Huh? Yeah, he's not here right-" I started.

"Sasuke left the village last night. We found Sakura crying this morning. He's gone with Orochimaru."

Crash.

"H-huh?" I asked again, shaking my head back and forth.

"He's gone."

"What?" I asked, choking.

"What's-" Shikamaru started.

"He went with Orochimaru." It wasn't a question. It would hurt my pride to cry. So I settled for getting pissed off.

Sasuke left the village. He was going to Orochimaru. I should have seen the deeper meanings. I should have worried. The note, with goodbye, Naruto. He went out to 'train' after he had already gotten cleaned up. He had been acting horribly lately. He was nowhere in the house when I woke up.

Sasuke was gone. He left the village, his freedom, and me.

"Jerk! I can't believe he'd do that! He can do just fine without-" I continued yelling, but Shikamaru stopped me.

"We can't just let him get away. He has a lead, but it won't be to hard to catch up. While he's leaving, he's betraying us. Orochimaru just wants to use him against Konoha. It's vital we bring him back. Tsunade elected me to lead the mission. I can only recruit Genin, so are you in?"

He spoke so quickly, and I was thinking so hard, it took a while to take in. "Yeah! I'll be right back!" I bolted back into the house. I ran upstairs, changed at breakneck speeds, grabbed a pouch, filled it with kunai, food pills, and anything else small I could find, and then ran back out the door.

"That was fast." Shikamaru muttered. "We need to go pick up a few others. We'll be out of here in an hour."

Within only about thirty minutes, we had gathered Choji, Neji, and Kiba. Lee had wanted to come, but he was still too disabled. Shino was out in another mission. All five of us were standing near the gate to leave.

"Show me what you're taking along," Shikamaru ordered.

We all opened either pouches or backpacks and showed him our stock.

"Good. Now listen. Kiba will be up front because of his smell and his knowledge of the geography."

He continued to talk about our positions, but I wasn't listening. I nodded when he looked at me, and that was it.

The Sasuke that I started to know was the one behind his obsession with revenge. Underneath his obsession, he was a show-offy jerk. But when even that went away, he was broken and lonely like I was. He was stubborn and proud, kind, calm, smart, and comforting. He really was a normal human being, trapped in the life of avenging his family.

As much as Sasuke was my boyfriend, crush, whatever…Even in the beginning when we hated each other, there was a deeper relation. Whether Sasuke and I loved each other or wanted to kill each other, we would always be bound in destiny. We were both alone, orphaned. We both knew what the other was going through. But the difference between Sasuke and I…

Is that he seeks hate and I seek love. We have the same problem, and are taking two paths from it. He wants to kill his brother, and chooses hate, even though all those girls and all the people in the village love him.

And for me, even though it's slowly changing, most of the people in the village despise me. I'm trying to be better, and prove to the village who I am.

But I couldn't do anything, I'd never forgive myself, if something bad happened to Sasuke. If Sasuke was dead. If Orochimaru took Sasuke's body. I need Sasuke. He's my brother, my best friend, and my only one, all at once.

And I don't think he knows it, but he needs me. If it weren't for Itachi, everything would be perfect.

Itachi is Sasuke's worst enemy, but he's also mine. He's the reason Sasuke is like this.

So now, if it's the last thing I do, I'll bring Sasuke back. At the very least, ask him why he left. He doesn't need Orochimaru.

"Alright, time's running out." Shikamaru said, breaking my thoughts. "Let's g-"

"Wait! Shikamaru!"

We all looked up and turned. It was Sakura. Poor Sakura. "Shikamaru, let me join the mission! I can hel-" She begged, but Shikamaru shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I can't take you." He said flatly.

She wrapped her arms around her torso, hugging her upper body. She looked like she would cry. "Naruto,"

I stepped closer to her.

"Please, I'm begging you. I tried to stop him, but I couldn't. You have to bring Sasuke back! You're the only one who can!" She pleaded.

Not just for myself, but for Sakura. For one of my best friends. "I swear I will, if it's the last thing I do." I answered.

She looked up, wiping her eyes and nodding.

"Ready now?" Shikamaru asked. Everyone nodded, Akamaru yipped.

With that, we set off in the direction of Sasuke.

I swear, I'll bring you back.

I've said this before, but I just want to say how grateful I am for the reviews! You are all like parts of my routine! When I check my e-mail, it's like..."Ooh...6 new e-mails! I bet one of them is so and so's review..." It's funny to think about! THANK-YOU from the bottom of my fanfiction writer's heart!


	24. Ice

Okay, real note…I'm FINALLY BACK. Gosh.

This is NOT exactly how the battle went, but this is how I want it. Also, I privately asked a few of my reviewers a question about how this should go, (Don't feel offended if it wasn't you, I just asked when I remembered XD) and…

Well, you'll just have to see!

* * *

The next few days were a living nightmare.

Only a short distance down the trail, we found a defeated Genma and Raidou. They had lost against sound ninja who were traveling with Sasuke. They were planted there to keep anyone from taking Sasuke back.

If they had beaten Jounin, we were screwed.

Hesitantly, Shikamaru led our group farther. We caught up to the sound ninja, there was four of them. We also learned they were carrying Sasuke in a barrel.

To explain everything in full detail would be too hard. We left Choji behind early, he fought Jirobo. Then Neji stayed behind to fight Kidomaru. They were two of the sound ninjas.

I thought we would seriously succeed at one point. We had the barrel. We had Sasuke. Shikamaru, Kiba and I dashed back to Konoha with it. Akamaru followed behind us laying traps.

Akamaru was captured and wounded, so Kiba went back to help him. He battled with Sakon. Then Tayuya caught up to Shikamaru and I, and Shikamaru told me to keep going.

Then my hope started to dwindle when another one of Orochimaru's ninja took the barrel from me without a problem. His name was Kimimaro, and he was bent on bringing Sasuke to Orochimaru.

Leaving Kiba and Shikamaru, I chased after Kimimaro and the barrel.

I finally fought him, but I was losing. To make things worse, Sasuke escaped from the barrel and ran off. Distracted, Kimimaro nearly killed me.

But Lee, who had just recovered, showed up and saved me. He insisted I continue following Sasuke, since I had promised Sakura so, so I did.

Man, if one of us was a girl, this would be a much easier secret to let go.

So much more probably happened after that, but I wouldn't know. All I could hope for was that everyone would live.

For the next few hours after that, I chased Sasuke. I couldn't see him until near the very end of the chase, but I knew I was following him.

And right now, I've caught up to him.

I have to stop him.

We had reached the water boundary separating Leaf and Sound. There were two enormous statues, and he was on the one furthest away. They were…the founders of Konoha or something, I don't remember.

He stopped moving, so he must have acknowledged I was behind him. Maybe he wanted to get me out of the way.

"Sasuke!" I yelled across the water.

He continued walking, uninterested.

"So you'll just run away!?" I growled. I might be able to talk my way through this.

He stopped, one foot in mid-step. He turned around, and the entire right side of his body was coated in those black wavy marks. His transformation must be going further, because his left eye was black with a yellow iris. "So you were stupid enough to follow me."

I stared at him, unsure of what I should do.

"Like I told Sakura already, it's over. We're over. Stay away from me."

He's really serious. So serious he won't even consider what we were before this.

It wasn't right. I know it's not all his fault, but he led Sakura and I on to believe he cared about us. Like WE were the most important things in his world. Now he was like this, and with no explanation why he had changed. I knew it was because of Itachi, but he didn't have to leave, or be alone.

I remembered something Haku said when we were in the land of waves. He said that only when you have something to protect, something important to you, are you the strongest you can be.

"Why?" I said, just loud enough for him to hear. "Why are you doing this? To us? To me?" I begged.

His expression changed to more serious then sarcastic.

"I don't get it! Why!?" I screamed.

"It was stupid to tell you my feelings." He said flatly. I didn't need to question him any further on what feelings. "I'm done playing around with the worthless Konoha crowd."

"But…Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, Akamaru, Choji, Lee…They all risked their lives to bring you back!" I screamed, defending my friends.

"That was nice of them." Sasuke replied. "I already told you, I'm done." He turned, and started walking again.

No. You aren't getting away so easy.

He must not have been prepared for it, (but hey, neither was I,) because he was caught completely off guard and did nothing to defend himself. He saw my shadow, turned all the way around, and that was it. I had leapt across to his statue and tackled him to the ground. We slid a few feet, and I ended up pinning him down with my knees. He never once tried to move. I grabbed the high collar of his shirt and pulled his head up.

"If I had stayed in Konoha with you," He empathized you. "I never would have gotten this strong. I'm going to Orochimaru."

I already knew, but it hit me twice as hard. Maybe this would convince him. "Are you crazy!? Orochimaru killed the third, and tried to destroy the village! All he wants you for is a body! If you think I'll let you go, and throw away everything you have, you're wrong!"

"That doesn't matter," He smirked. "All that matters to me is revenge, and if you get in my way, I won't hesitate to kill you." He grabbed my collar and jerked me down, similar to what I had done.

He was still smiling. The impatience and anger had just turned into insanity. "If you won't listen, I'll take you back by force!" I hissed.

I wouldn't just be able to convince him. Violently and against his will would be the only way I could bring him back. If I could even do that.

"I don't want to fight you," I added through grit teeth.

He shifted his hand so it was around my neck. "Too bad." He pushed his knee against my stomach, and slowly forced me up. I tried to keep him down, but his brute strength was too much.

Maybe he wanted to kill me. He lifted me higher and higher until my feet were off the ground, then even higher. I ended up with them a foot off the ground. I clutched at his arm, trying to rip him away, at the very least, keep from choking.

He breathed in audibly, then let go. Three seconds later, my stomach was in pain and my body hit the water below us. Had that been a punch to the head, it probably would have knocked me out. He had never had that kind of strength before. It must be due to the curse mark.

After composing myself and catching my breath above water, I proceeded,

To get the shit beat out of me.

My continued screams and pleads were futile, and I didn't try too hard to fight back. He can't be serious. He doesn't want to kill me.

But it became clear that he did, when he told me so.

I had crawled out of deep water and balanced on the surface for perhaps the third time.

"Do you want to kill me or something!? Does everything we had before this mean anything to you!?" I screeched up at him, for he was back to one of the statues.

"No. It means everything." He replied, lowering his head. "That's why I'm going to kill you."

The words spilled out of his mouth, and I was speechless.

He wanted to kill me.

He wanted to kill me.

He wants to kill me!

"Wh-" I tried to make a word, but I couldn't finish. "Wh-Wa-Why?" My voice was broken.

He rose his head. "That is why."

He wanted to kill me.

The thought would not leave my head. Even after everything, he wanted to kill me. For reasons I didn't know.

Our fighting continued. I tried a bit harder, but I was mostly shocked.

After a while, I just stopped moving. So did he, but his was probably just to wonder why.

Was there really any worth in fighting him, or trying to bring him back if he wanted to kill me?

If he didn't care about me?

I balanced on the water with chakra, but I didn't bother doing anything else. He stopped his assault, and watched me for a moment.

I closed my eyes. I didn't want to see what I could hear. The metallic, chirping sounds of Sasuke's assassination jutsu, Chidori.

I thought you really did care.

I always wanted to be friends with you, from the moment I meant you. But you and I were so different, and you were better than I was.

So I decided, you were my rival.

But rival or not, you were always something I wanted to be.

When you told me your feelings and I discovered mine, I was so happy. You were the first person on earth to acknowledge me not because of what I was. You were my first real bond. And I thought I was yours, but…

Does any of that mean anything to you?

Were you lying this entire time?

The Chidori sounds grew louder, and he was so close, I could feel chakra radiating from it. The hand that obviously wasn't harboring the Chidori reached behind me and twisted through my hair.

It was like my dream all over again, but at least he didn't want to kill me because of Kyubbi. It was much worse.

I didn't know why.

But he didn't pull, he pushed. I moved one foot backwards, but it wasn't enough to get away. He pushed my face forward, and it didn't surprise me as much as I thought it would.

His lips were flat and closed, and cold as ice.

I just want you all to know, part two is already all planned out in my head XD People will die D:


	25. The End Of The Beginning

**_PLEASE READ, THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THOSE WHO CARE ABOUR PART TWO!_**

WOW. Here. We. Are. The End...WOW. THANKS EVERYONE! I can't believe how much love I got on this story! Sadly, this chapter is probably unsatisfying :( **_Look forward to an epilogue after this, and then...Part two!_** Also, PLEASE leave it in your reviews, I need a title for part 2! Something that ties in with this part's title!

As for part two, and don't take this as me begging, **_but if you want to see part two,_** **_PLEASE author alert Me!_**

* * *

It was a crappy first kiss.

First kiss that wasn't an accident, anyway.

It was like kissing someone made of stone, only much smoother. Stone wasn't this soft. The kiss itself was hard and firm, but the texture of his lips wasn't.

You'd expect your first kiss to be a little shy, sweet, warm, and long lasting. It may even lead to deeper things.

Did killing your partner count as deeper?

He pulled away, but I still didn't open my eyes.

His hand went all the way through me, but I grabbed at it, and he hit my lung instead of straight on. I felt blood spurt from the wound, coating my bare skin there.

I didn't wait a second before entering my sub-consciousness

_Kyubbi, hurry._

_  
I know, kit. This Uchiha and I are going to have PROBLEMS if you let him live._

_Before my body dies, please._

_I know, I'm going. Give me a second, you brat._

_  
_I opened my eyes, Kyubbi's chakra curtain starting to form. My wound started to heal, and my chest went numb.

Sasuke had one hand wrapped around my neck, so I grabbed it and threw him away.

"Guh-" He stumbled back after landing on the water, then watched my metamorphosis.

_Problems. _He reminded me.

_If he thinks he's going to win so easily, he's got something else coming to him._

His eyes widened in the same moment my impalement began closing.

"Sasuke," I snarled, my voice coming out strangely. "Even if I have to rip you apart, you aren't going to Orochimaru!" I screamed.

Everything else, well, you know how it goes.

I tried convincing him. I tried telling him Orochimaru would take his body, but that didn't stop him.

I tried telling him he didn't need Orochimaru's help, and he could get stronger here. He countered with how I was getting better, but he wasn't.

I tried to tell him he was betraying his village. That he would be labeled a missing ninja. And that he would be helping Orochimaru in taking over. That didn't even begin to faze him.

I even resorted to telling him he shouldn't go after Itachi. That his revenge was vain. It didn't help either. It made his anger and insanity worse.

I kept fighting him. I was winning, for awhile. Then his Sharingan evolved, and I began losing again.

Before we started what could have been final blows, I told him how much I needed him. How much I cared about him. Not now, but the real Sasuke. The Sasuke behind all this crap.

But in our darkest forms, Kyubbi and the final stage of his curse mark, we did start those blows. Only one of us would win. He would leave and I would die, or I would win and bring his beaten body back.

He started Chidori and I started Rasengan. We hit each other head on at the same time.

At first we just resisted each other, but he suddenly shifted his blow. He hit my arm instead of my chest. I reached up and ripped my nails across his headband.

He had taunted me about how I would never scratch it, earlier.

I'd lost, but he sparred my life.

That…was the last thing I remember for sure.

But I could have sworn somewhere in the depths of my body, in my sub-consciousness with Kyubbi,

That I felt his not so cold arms around me.

_Kit._

_Mmmm…Hmm…_

_You are with your sensei. Wake up._

_Where's-_

_  
Relax. I've been healing you for awhile, but you still aren't well enough to move._

That was when I realized it was really over.

When I opened my eyes and saw trees instead of rocky cliffs. When the sunlight burned my eyes, and not the cloudy haze, or electric sparks. When I felt I couldn't move any part of my body without hurting.

When I realized I was on Kakashi's back, and we were moving so quickly.

Sasuke was gone.

But I asked anyway.

"Kakashi?" I whispered, it was all I could manage.

He tilted his head slightly back to look at me.

"Where's Sasuke?"

He closed his eyes and looked ahead again.

I could vaguely hear voices around us.

"Kakashi! How's Naruto?" One of them asked.

"He's in bad condition, but he'll be alright." He replied calmly. "How is the rest of the retrieval squad?"

"Shikamaru Nara suffered some minor injuries. Kiba Inuzuka suffered bone fractures, but his life isn't in danger. Akamaru as well. Neji Hyugga and Choji Akimichi are in intensive care, and their condition is unknown. What about Sasuke Uchiha?" They explained, ending on a bad note.

I buried my face into the back of Kakashi's neck, and he didn't answer the men. We just kept going. I got tired and blacked out again.

_Kit?_I breathed.

He's gone.

_You don't need to put yourself in anymore danger over him. He's not worth it. He obviously doesn't care about you._

_No._

_Mm?_

_He does._

Kit…

_Even if he doesn't, I do._

_But…He wanted to kill you._

I didn't answer.

_I assume you aren't giving up?  
_

I shook my head back and forth, incredibly slowly. But even like that, it was a defiant answer.

_What about Akatsuki being after us?_

_Why do you worry? You're a giant monster fox.  
_

_I'm trapped inside a brat's body. What can I do? I have no control over who captures YOU._

I sighed sadly.

_If I was happy right now, I'd say, 'I'll kill everyone of those accursed Akatsuki members, help Sasuke take his revenge, and bring him home!' I will either way, but I'm just not in the mood to phrase it like that._

He growled low, like maybe he was yawning.

_I'm sleeping. The infirmary can take care of you. I'm tired from fighting that boy._

_You aren't so bad Kyubbi._

_Shut up brat, I am a bloodthirsty monster._

I would have laughed if I wasn't on the verge of crying. I didn't have the energy to do either, though.

I just had to fall in love with HIM.

But I wonder if maintaining my love would be as easy as discovering and admitting it.

**_Epilogue is coming, and then PART TWO!_**


	26. Epilogue: Best Friend

Well, this is it! Please check the end for a few more questions, and expect a week or so wait for part 2!

**_THANKS EVERYONE!_**

I held in my hands the last piece of Sasuke I physically had. Kakashi said he found it beside me on the ground. It was his head band.

His scratched headband.

I sat somewhat upright in the hospital bed, with the headband in my lap. I ran my hands back and forth across the steel.

"I'm sorry."

"You really should stop saying that," Sakura said with a small smile. She was sitting on the bench across from me in the hospital room. "It's fine. Just forget it."

She was so good at fake smiling. I knew she didn't mean it.

If any of Sakura's child crush on Sasuke had faded, it had only given way to more mature feelings. She loved him, and I knew this hit her hard, just as it did me.

"I won't forget about it," I answered. "I can't, I-" I started to grin.

"I really don't want to see you get hurt over this. I'm telling you it doesn't matter."

My grin faded.

Sakura had to know. She had to understand. It was only fair. I loved her, she was my best friend, and if I told her later, it would only be worse.

"I know it matters to you. That's why I won't break my promise. And not just for you-" I said. "For me."

"I know Sasuke means a lot to you, but he-"

"Sasuke and I were together."

It was the most direct way I could think of, without making her question it anymore.

She stared at me for a moment, opened her mouth like she would say something, then shut it again.

My fingers traced the line from my slash, deep in the metal.

"Kakashi," She began quietly. "Hinted something like that."

"I'm sor-"

"I TOLD you to stop saying that!" She grinned at me placidly. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

"But you…"

"I know." She answered. "But you aren't giving up are you?"

I grinned. "Nope! I'll chase that sadistic bastard to the ends of the earth!"

She smiled. "Then I'll be with you every step of the way, and support you however I can."

_The pink haired annoyance is being kind._

_Shut up, Kyubbi. She is not a pink haired annoyance._

_Either way, brat._

With the help of Sakura, Kakashi, (And a few others I haven't even MET yet,) I knew this would work.

It had to work.

**_I have a couple more questions:_**

**_1. Should it really be from Sasuke's viewpoint, or Naruto's? Should I switch back and forth?_**

**_2. HIGHLY IMPORTANT: Would you STOP reading if it was rated M, mostly for violence/language, some LIGHT sexual content, or mentioned sexual content?_**


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